Baton Rouge neighborhoods paying extra tax for security still see thousands of crimes

WAFB investigation finds violent crimes continue in areas with dedicated patrols funded by property owners

Apr. 9, 2026 at 9:52pm

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A WAFB I-TEAM investigation found that thousands of crimes are happening in more than two dozen Baton Rouge neighborhoods where residents pay an extra dedicated tax for additional security patrols. The investigation analyzed nearly 200,000 reported crimes dating back to 2021 and found alarming patterns in areas designated as crime prevention districts, with one district reporting over 5,200 incidents including 29 rapes, 21 homicides, and 41 attempted homicides.

Why it matters

The findings raise questions about the effectiveness of the crime prevention districts, which were created by lawmakers to enhance security and crime prevention through increased law enforcement presence. Residents in these districts pay an extra tax, but the data shows violent crimes continue to occur at high rates, leading some to question whether the additional funds are being used effectively.

The details

The I-TEAM analyzed crime data in 27 Baton Rouge crime prevention districts and found nearly 30,000 reported crimes since 2021. The Forest Oak Windsor Crime Prevention District had the most incidents with 5,255 reported crimes, including 29 rapes, 21 homicides, and 41 attempted homicides. Other districts like Melrose East, Delmont, and Sherwood Forest also reported high numbers of crimes, ranging from 3,400 to 3,700 incidents. Residents in these districts pay an extra $175 to $500 per year in taxes to fund the additional security patrols, but many feel the services are not providing the promised level of protection.

  • The crime prevention districts were created by lawmakers five years ago, in 2021.
  • The I-TEAM analyzed crime data dating back to 2021, after the crime districts took effect.

The players

D'Andre Anthony

A resident of the Forest Oak Windsor Crime Prevention District, where a 94-year-old woman was recently raped and attacked.

State Representative C. Denise Marcelle

A state lawmaker who lives in a crime prevention district herself and is alarmed by the I-TEAM's findings, calling for immediate action and a legislative review of the policy.

Jeremiah Taylor

A 22-year-old man who was arrested following the attack on the 94-year-old woman in the Forest Oak Windsor Crime Prevention District.

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What they’re saying

“If she's paying extra money for this taxing district, times that by how many people live in that taxing district, seems like that should be extra funds to be hiring some police.”

— Daughter of 94-year-old victim

“If we are paying for something, then something obviously needs to change. Because you just showed me the data. And if we have the most out of all these areas — and yet we're paying for an extra service that we're not getting — something needs to change.”

— D'Andre Anthony, Resident, Forest Oak Windsor Crime Prevention District

“If something happens inside of those districts, they call the police station. They still have to send manpower out. I think the premise behind the crime district started out being a little extra protection for some of the areas that could afford it. And then it went, spilled over to a lot of other areas that people thought that they, if they created a crime prevention district, they'd be safer, and they could pay for that security. When, in fact, they should be safe anyway.”

— State Representative C. Denise Marcelle

What’s next

State Representative C. Denise Marcelle said she wants lawmakers at the Capitol to study why things are not working in some of these crime prevention districts, since lawmakers helped form them in the first place. Marcelle said she understands the concerns of constituents and would like to look at the issue from a legislative standpoint to determine how to improve the policy.

The takeaway

The findings of the WAFB I-TEAM investigation raise serious questions about the effectiveness of Baton Rouge's crime prevention districts, which were created to enhance security and crime prevention through increased law enforcement presence. Despite residents paying extra taxes, the data shows thousands of violent crimes continue to occur in these districts, leading some to question whether the additional funds are being used effectively and whether the program is truly providing the promised level of protection.