When I lived in N.O. in the mid 60s the lower-ninth ward was already referred to as “a war zone” by THE NOPD.
When a policeman needed disciplining for one reason or another he was stationed in the lower-ninth ward! ROFL
I traveled to NO multiple times in the aftermath of Katrina to help restore railroad service to the area. The headquarters were in the Ninth Ward - it was ‘interesting’ to watch one flooded-out pickup truck slowly get cannibalized, from a complete truck on the first trip to nothing but the frame by the last one. It was impressive.