Mayor’s office backs funding boost, programs to fight violent crime

BATON ROUGE, La. — Violent crime has surged in recent days, challenging city leadership as officials scramble to shore up resources and initiatives that could help stem the tide.

In the early hours of Tuesday, a man was discovered shot in the middle of Marque Ann Drive, unfolding just hours after Baton Rouge endured five separate shootings—two of which proved fatal—over a nine-hour period on Sunday.

Jeff LeDuff, who now serves as Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for the mayor’s office, brings a deeply personal lens to efforts against gun violence. Fifteen years ago—on Sept. 4—his brother-in-law was killed on the streets of Baton Rouge while LeDuff was police chief. That loss continues to inform his current mission to lower the city's violent crime figures.

City leaders will press forward this week with a multi-pronged strategy. The metro council agenda Wednesday includes proposals targeting housing and health programs, initiatives that officials believe could help erode underlying conditions tied to violence. Meanwhile, the mayor's office is pushing to redirect additional funds to the district attorney’s office—an effort underpinned by concerns over mounting case backlogs.

District Attorney Hillar Moore welcomed the proposed $825,000 budget adjustment—but expressed reservations about its sufficiency. "It’s putting a bandage on a hemorrhage," he said, adding that the sum “will only allow me to limp toward the end of the year.” He attributed mounting pressures to a failed tax measure earlier in the year, staffing shortages, and persistent crime.

As city officials pivot toward policy interventions, they’re also reaching out to the public for support. “If things are going bad, please let us know,” LeDuff urged.

On another front, Moore said he plans to seek state assistance to bolster staffing capacity and more effectively manage his office’s escalated caseload.