BATON ROUGE, La. (WVLA) Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has asked the Department of Defense to activate the Louisiana National Guard to combat crime across the state.

Landry announced the request during an appearance on FOX News, where he requested the activation of up to 1,000 Louisiana National Guard personnel through the end of the 2026 fiscal year.

“Since taking office, we have made real progress in driving down crime across Louisiana but the job is far from finished,” he said. “Federal partnerships in our toughest cities have worked, and now, with the support of President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, we are taking the next step by bringing in the National Guard. This mission is about saving lives and protecting families. To the criminals terrorizing our communities: your time is up. Law and order are back in Louisiana.”

According to a recent Axios report, Louisiana’s violent crime rate last year was 487.5 per 100,000 residents, the FBI data shows.

Shreveport had the highest homicide rate in the state, with 26.8 homicides per 100,000 residents, according to FBI data. However, Baton Rouge appears to have a higher rate, based on local police figures and media reports.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Landry stated troops would be deployed throughout the state to urban centers, aid law enforcement in high-crime areas and secure critical infrastructure.

Landry’s letter also said the state faces a “convergence of elevated violent crime rates in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport coupled with critical personnel shortages within local law enforcement.”

affiliate WVLA has asked the governor’s office which cities the National Guard would be deployed to if his request is approved.