Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Enforcement Division agents, along with Louisiana State Police (LSP) troopers, will assist the New Orleans Police Department, Louisiana National Guard, and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office in providing additional safety personnel to the French Quarter area during New Year’s Eve celebrations and the Sugar Bowl.

The LDWF Enforcement Division is deploying Special Operations Group agents and Maritime Special Response Team agents to work with the Louisiana State Police Mobile Field Force and the Louisiana State Police SWAT team in the French Quarter Enhanced Security Zone (FQESZ) from Dec. 30, 2025 to Jan. 2, 2026.

The FQESZ is from Canal St. to Ann St., between Royal St. and Dauphine streets, including Bourbon St. The following guidelines are in place for the FQESZ:

• Backpack coolers and ice chests are prohibited.
• Bags larger than 4.5” x 6.5” (about the size of a clutch handbag) are discouraged and subject to search prior to entry.
• Vehicles are prohibited from entering the FQESZ except for emergency purposes.
• Visitors staying at hotels on Bourbon Street should use Royal Street or Dauphine Street entrances. If access is unavailable, visitors may enter at the nearest barrier or cross street with luggage. Proof of hotel reservation and identification is required.
• Anyone refusing a search will be denied entry into the FQESZ.

Louisiana State Police also reminds drone pilots to check airspace restrictions and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations before flying. The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the New Orleans area from 2:00 p.m. on December 31, 2025, through 4:00 a.m. on January 1, 2026, and again from 6:00 p.m. through one hour after the conclusion of the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of the tragic attack that took innocent lives, we honor those lost and reaffirm the shared responsibility to remain vigilant.

The “See Something, Send Something” app is an effective way to share tips, photos, and information with law enforcement using a smart device. To download the app, search for “See Send” in the app store. Users can quickly submit information directly from their device. All tips are analyzed at the state fusion center and relayed to officers on the street.

Keep these seven signs of terrorism in mind:

• Surveillance
• Information gathering
• Testing security
• Acquiring supplies
• Suspicious behavior
• Dry run/trial run
• Deploying assets