18-year-old running for Gretna mayor

Boartfield says he will run on a platform of criminal justice reform, a decision he said was fueled by a recent profile of Gretna and its Police Department in the online publication Fusion.

Ferguson, Missouri, where Michael Brown's fatal shooting by police in 2014 prompted protests, riots and national scrutiny of the local Police Department and its dependence on fees and fines, took in $2.46 million in municipal court fines and fees, or about $117 for every resident.

Deputy Police Chief Anthony Christiana said it costs upward of $125 per hour to make the arrests, and he and Chief Arthur Lawson defended a policing strategy devoted to spotting problems before they occur.

Boartfield said he will not campaign against police officers but will focus on changes he believes would make the city safer for police and residents, including raising the pay of officers, increasing their training with an emphasis on de-escalation tactics and using body cameras.

Boartfield said he also would look for ways to lower taxes on Gretna's residents and push to eliminate laws that impinge on private property rights, such as limits on signs.