In a rare joint appearance by both New Orleans DA Jason Williams and NOPD Chief Shaun Ferguson, the two vowed to increase collaboration, and implement a four-point crime-fighting plan. The two spoke at Edna Karr High School in Algiers.
Those four points were standardized use of crime data based on nationally recognized FBI standards, a serial crimes prevention initiative, combating group and gang violence, and continued strategic partnerships.
Williams said the crime data standardization would bring clarity to the city's status in dealing with crime, and expressed confidence that putting more resources into serial crime prevention would cut down on interstate shootings and carjackings related to gang activity.
There was a renewed call for the repeal of past city council ordinances related to the surveillance restrictions on New Orleans law enforcement agencies.
The Chief noted recent indictments that were the result of work between the DA and NOPD. The two also acknowledged the perception of an ongoing feud between their departments, and they said it was important for the public to see them together ahead of a major push against violent crime.
"At the end of the day, collaboration, collaboration, collaboration," said Ferguson.
Yesterday the Mayor and Ferguson laid out a plan for combating violent crime. Some of the highlights were:
· Pushing the new City Council to repeal past NOCC ordinances against surveillance practices.
· Creating new, and bolstering existing proactive policing units in every district that had gone defunct over the years due to staffing issues, according to former Chief Ronal Serpas, and reportedly criticism from federal monitors over alleged constitutional violations.
· A move to 12-hour patrol shifts for officers that would increase time on the street, and reduce time spent on administrative matters.
· Beefing up the NOPD’s data analytics team.
Related
Law enforcement leaders in New Orleans have come under increasing fire as the city has endured a spike in shootings, murders, and a more than doubling of carjackings since the start of the pandemic. New City Councilman JP Morrell recently became the first council member to call for Ferguson to be replaced.