Northwest Louisiana leaders crowded into the Caddo 9-1-1 Center for another meeting with state and FEMA officials on Wednesday. This time they discussed the February seventh deadline for hurricane victims to move out of hotels, and the red tape law enforcement faces for background checks. Bossier City City Marshal Johnny Wyatt says, "what I would want to know in Bossier is the name, date of birth, and if they have a drivers license, I want it".
Louisiana Hurricane Housing Director Colonel Bill Croft brought a four-step background information procedure from FEMA for local leaders to use, but the leaders call it red tape. Wyatt says, "if we're working with federal money and state money for federally approved housing, why doesn't it fall under the same auspices as other housing such as HUD and everything else?" A FEMA attorney from Virginia said background checks are against privacy laws. The attorney says, "I caution doing that because someone at some point will see it as discrimination". Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator replied, "yes ma'am I guess it is discrimination. Discrimination against the fact you maybe molested a nine-year old, it's discrimination against the fact you have a felony convition, it's discrimination against the fact you may be wanted for something. If that's discrimination, someone sue me".
Law enforcement leaders want to know who's moving in, Prator says the only accomplishment from this meeting, is another meeting date. One much closer to the day FEMA will stop paying for hotels. The Louisiana State Hurricane Housing Task Force and FEMA will be back in town to meet with leaders on January 27th.
