Adrian Perkins Says Leaders Are Failing to Address Crime Problems

Shreveport Mayoral candidate Adrian Perkins says leaders in the city are not properly addressing our crime problem.

Perkins writes: "We have to take care of our officers if we expect them to take care of us. We can more effectively police by choosing new leaders, decentralizing our units, leveraging technology and investing in our officers."

We invited Perkins in to discuss crime and other problems facing our city.

In part 2 of our interview, Perkins talks about jobs and economic development which he says will be top priorities if he's elected Mayor.

In his Op Ed, Perkins writes:

To restore our community’s faith in SPD, we can establish police substations in neighborhoods throughout the city to facilitate more day-to-day interactions between the community and its police force, make the force more responsive, and save resources. This approach allows police to more regularly engage with residents in positive ways - rather than only during negative events, like when arresting someone or surveying a crime scene - and enables them to tailor their approaches to the specific needs of that neighborhood.

Perkins also says we must address police pay. He says the starting salary at SPD is right at $40,000, while Dallas is $51,000, Longview is $52,000, Plano is $67,000 and Bossier City is $43,000.