They are looking for new ways the city can manage the crowd. We can no longer assume when we plan for events that large numbers of people gather peacefully. Marlin Defillo, commander of public affairs for the New Orleans Police Dept. Mardi Gras in New Orleans is so embedded in our culture that there are events year-round on the Mardi Gras theme in all the elementary and high schools. Defillo said Mardi Gras in New Orleans is more a family event than an excuse to drink.
Families come out to barbecue and see the floats come in.
The parade route is 6 miles long, and families return to the same spot for generations to view the parade. Many officers who police Mardi Gras grew up in these traditions, too. Some have their families come join them and watch the parade from behind the barricades where they're stationed. We ask our force to use maximum tolerance. An officer is not going to climb over 10,000 people to get to ask a minor to pour out whatever he's got in a cup.