Murders and shootings in New Orleans continue to fall. But the drop in armed robberies and carjackings has leveled off. Has New Orleans' historic crime decrease bottomed out?
In fact; carjackings, armed robberies and auto thefts are at about the same level as there were at this time last year after three straight years of reductions.
New Orleans has seen increases so far this year in vehicle burglaries and business burglaries. It is the first increase year over year since 2023.
New Orleans Metro Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche says to drive numbers down, police must arrest the people who are doing it.
"It's critically important that every call for service, particularly violent felony crimes, be solved with arrests," Goyeneche said.
But between the city's budget constraints, and the time it takes to hire and train new officers, Goyeneche believes the path to more declines in crime is through technology.
"It's going to be incumbent upon the mayor and city council to give the police department the resources they need to break through this plateau," he said. "I believe that the police department needs; not wants, but needs; a drone-as-first-responder tool in their toolbox."
Goyeneche says drones aren't spy tools, but a way to get a police officer's eyes on a reported crime scene faster, which can lead to more criminals being caught and convicted.
