Robbers beware: SPD's special intervention teams have hit the streets

The Shreveport Police Department will be putting additional officers on the street to specifically target those violent criminals who would commit armed robberies. Historically Shreveport has seen increases in some crimes, including armed robberies as the holiday season approaches.

     The total number of robberies reported through the end of October is slightly up this year when compared to the same time period in 2011; the Robbery Intervention Detail is being called into action as part of an ongoing effort to reduce the number of those crimes occurring in Shreveport.   

    Working toward that goal, officers throughout the department will be hitting the streets this fall as part of R.I.D., or Robbery Intervention Detail, to proactively target areas of Shreveport where there is traditionally heavy retail traffic.

  R.I.D. will focus on several facets of robbery prevention and investigation, including community liaison officers visiting with business owners and management regarding robbery prevention training; plainclothes investigators conducting surveillance; and/or other types of undercover operations and intelligence gathering.

  In addition, marked patrol units will saturate areas to further dissuade any would-be robbers. While there have been similar operations in previous years, R.I.D. officers will be relying on tactics that have worked in the past, as well as employing new strategies as well.

Any business owner or manager that would like officers to come out and put on a free armed robbery prevention seminar for employees is urged to call the Shreveport Police Department's Community Oriented Policing Bureau at 318-673-6950.