Bossier City police will deploy their armed robbery task force when the holiday shopping season kicks off later this week.
Officers assigned to the unit will patrol businesses and shopping centers in an effort to prevent crime.
Part of the unit is the "shotgun squad," a group of officers who are stationed inside back rooms and coolers of stores. They are authorized to shoot to stop an armed robbery.
Police Chief Halphen said the goal of the task force is to prevent robberies "by keeping criminals guessing" if a business has an officer inside.
Bossier City police started the task force in 1987.
