There is more to drop in crime in New Orleans than meets the eye. That's the message from the leader of a coalition of business interests looking for solutions.
Crime has been falling in large cities across the country. Murder in particular is dropping nationwide faster than ever recorded. But in New Orleans, it is dropping even faster.
"Our homicide rate has declined almost two-and-a-half times as fast as the national average, so despite some people saying we're just riding the wave, I disagree. I think we're all rowing in the same direction," said GNO Inc. President and CEO Michael Hecht of the NOLA Coalition.
And he says the NOPD is getting it done despite its police officer shortage.
"This is being done with a work force that is way below what we use to say the number (of officers needed) was," said Hecht.
Hecht told WWL's Newell Normand he believes the leadership of Chief Anne Kirkpatrick, now in her second year, has helped the NOPD succeed.