Adrian Perkins Is Sworn in as Mayor of Shreveport
33-year-old Adrian Perkins is now Mayor of Shreveport. He was sworn in this morning.
Perkins takes the reigns as the 57th mayor of Shreveport. He grew up in the Cedar Grove neighborhood and went on to graduate from West Point and attend Harvard Law School, is one of the youngest, if not the youngest, mayor ever elected in the city.
Perkins spoke to the crowd after the swearing-in:
(video courtesy of KTAL)
Perkins had very kind words to say about former Mayor Ollie Tyler: "She is an example of class and grace and we are fortunate to have her."
He also talked about the changing tide in politics: "Shreveport is witnessing a new birth in politics, a bipartisan, grassroots movement is underway."
He also discussed the concerns about crime.
We are increasing the number of patrol officers during high crime hours. But it's about more than presence. Patrol officers won't be sitting in cars waiting to react. They will be more proactive out in the neighborhoods forming bonds with the people they serve.
Perkins will hit the ground running. He has been interviewing current department heads and he is expected to begin putting his team together in the days and weeks ahead.