There's some good news is New Orleans's fight against crime: so far in 2023, crime in the city is down compared to this time last year.
The city still has some problems in that department, but Mayor LaToya Cantrell is celebrating the positives.
"This week compared even to last week, we just saw fewer homicides and auto thefts throughout the city," Cantrell said during a Tuesday media briefing.
Cantrell said the New Orleans Police Department's efforts to bring crime down are working, and the city's crime dashboard backs up her claims. Robberies--armed and unarmed combined--are down 26 percent. Homicides are down 12.5 percent. Shootings are down nearly nine percent. The city has also seen a significant drop in carjackings (-58.5 percent) and aggravated assaults (-41.3 percent).
As of 1/31/23New Orleans Police Department
"So the work continues to happen," Cantrell said of the NOPD's efforts to fight crime. "Guns also continue to be taken from the street."
However, a few trouble spots remain. Stabbings are up slightly, while rapes have increased by 52 percent.
The rate of auto thefts has increased dramatically. The number of those crimes has increased by 132 percent from this time last year.
Crime and safety are also a major concern for the city's upcoming Mardi Gras celebrations. Cantrell urges paradegoers to do their part to keep Mardi Gras safe and free of violence.
"Leave your guns at home. This is a safe celebration. Everyone has a right to celebrate and have a good time without any interference of violence around them or any place in this city."
Cantrell also noted that fentanyl is a growing concern for the city. She says an incident that happened three weeks ago involving NOPD officers has put the issue at the top of her agenda.
"It hit home in a very meaningful way when two of our officers had to be administered Narcan," Cantrell said.
According to Cantrell, two officers came into contact with a bag laced with Fentanyl. First responders administered the medication to reverse the effects of the opioid.
Now, Cantrell says all city workers are being trained on how to administer Narcan if the need every arises.
"This has really proven to be, I would say, something that's been very effective," Cantrell said. "We started training very heavily--grounds patrol, as an example--in terms of administering NARCAN."
