Council holds wide-ranging security discussion after New Year’s Day attack; chief announces outside expert and investigators probe response

City Council members, the police chief and department heads held an extended discussion on security measures following the January 1 terrorist attack in the French Quarter, reviewing immediate response, potential hardening measures and next steps for investigation and victim assistance.

New Orleans Police Department Chief Kirkpatrick told the council the department will cooperate with investigations and announced an outside expert will be brought in. “I will always put the victims first,” Chief Kirkpatrick said, adding that she had invited former New York Police Commissioner Bill Bratton to assist as an expert on terrorism and hard-targeting; she said Bratton agreed to participate and that his engagement will be a citywide effort, paid for by a partner organization.

Rick Hathaway, director of the Department of Public Works, said DPW’s role is to provide infrastructure for security measures in coordination with law enforcement and other agencies. “DPW’s mission is to assist and provide infrastructure, for security measures, in allegiance with the NOPD and Homeland Security,” Hathaway said.

Council members and members of the public pressed for clarity about the condition and inventory of physical safety assets — bollards, wedges and other physical barriers — and whether the city’s emergency operations center (EOC) was activated. Staff said some assessments exist but that the cadence and location of inventories and maintenance are managed across departments and outside agencies; officials told the council they would follow up. Council members also said the council will open its own review and that the state attorney general and the FBI have active investigations.

Victim assistance and community support were described as immediate priorities. A council member noted some victims remained hospitalized: “There are 8 victims remaining at University Medical Center,” a council member said during remarks. City officials and local nonprofits described rapidly deployed victim services and an emergency fund raised through philanthropic partners; council members urged that funds be distributed quickly and with minimal red tape.

Public commenters called for faster execution of existing plans and for durable street infrastructure to prevent vehicle-ramming attacks. Speakers urged pedestrianizing parts of the French Quarter, restoring and maintaining bollards, improving interagency coordination, and ensuring that consultants paid by philanthropic groups are available for public briefings. “We can't believe our way out of crazy driving and reckless driving and cool driving after the fact. We've got to build the infrastructure as a community,” public speaker Naomi Jones said. Others asked that any outside consultants’ findings be shared with council committees and the public.

The council discussed governance and coordination across multiple agencies — NOPD, Department of Public Works, Homeland Security, emergency management and the French Quarter Management District — and called for an inventory of the city’s protective assets and an agreed activation plan for large events. Several council members emphasized the need for timely, public investigations and transparent reporting. Chief Kirkpatrick said she will cooperate with investigators and will provide limited answers at the committee meeting while fuller after-action reviews proceed.

Why it matters: The committee discussion follows a mass attack that killed and injured multiple people and raises immediate questions about event security, interagency coordination, asset readiness and support for victims. Council members signaled that both operational fixes (barriers, EOC activation, training) and oversight actions (investigations, public briefings) are needed.

Next steps: Chief Kirkpatrick said she will hold a press briefing and bring in outside expertise; council chairs said they will pursue a council investigation into infrastructure and procurement questions. City staff committed to follow up on inventories and maintenance responsibilities for protective assets and to coordinate with state and federal partners on security for upcoming events.