Since 2022, the city of New Orleans has experienced a drastic drop in violent crimes.
According to Metropolitan Crime Commission statistics, homicides year-to-date have fallen by 75 percent, carjackings are down 78 percent, and overall shootings and armed robberies are down by two-thirds.
What's causing this reduction in crime? Metropolitan Crime Commission president Rafael Goyeneche credits improved coordination, communication, and cooperation between the New Orleans Police Department and other law enforcement agencies. In addition, Goyeneche says the NOPD's use of technology and proactive policing, such as stepping up traffic stops, has helped them take violent offenders off the street.
"As those violent and weapons offenders are taken off the streets, we see every category of crime go down," Goyeneche said. "Proactive policing and technology are keys to force multipliers for the police department, that's resulting in a lower crime rate via a higher solve rate."
Goyeneche says the NOPD must accomplish two goals to continue driving crime rates downward.
"Investigating in technology and continuing their efforts to hire and retain more police officers," Goyeneche said.
Specifically, Goyeneche says the NOPD needs to get its crime lab certified with DNA testing as soon as possible.
"Once we get that, the police department will be able to quickly be able to solve many more offenses, property and violent crime, with that capability, but we're still probably two years or so away from having in-house DNA capabilities," Goyeneche said.
According to Goyeneche, the NOPD's goal should be to achieve a homicide rate of zero. While he says that goal is likely impossible, Goyeneche believes striving for it will make the city a safer place.
"I think we're just scratching the surface," Goyeneche said. "I don't think we're as low as we can get. I think we can improve public safety by further investment in some of the available technology and resources that will drive down the crime rate even further."
