We're halfway through the first month of 2023, and the early crime stats for New Orleans are generally good.
"Three of the four major crime categories are going down," Metropolitan Crime Commission president Rafael Goyeneche told WWL's Newell Normand on Monday.
Goyeneche said that the total number of homicides is up only two compared to this time last year. The numbers of shootings and armed robberies are slightly lower, while the number of carjackings is down 50 percent.
Still, Goyeneche says some of those numbers are a bit misleading.
"Shootings and carjackings and armed robberies are reported as incidents, and in any incident, there may be multiple victims," Goyeneche said. "We've had several shootings that have involved more than one shooting victim, and, of course, over the weekend, we had two armed robbery incidents in which there were six Tulane University students victimized. So you're still looking at the numbers of victims not necessarily being reflected in the three categories of shootings, car jackings and armed robberies."
Regardless of how the stats are tallied, Goyeneche says the latest numbers and and recent actions taken by interim NOPD interim superintendent Michelle Woodfork give him hope.
"There are things that are happening that I'm encouraged about," Goyeneche said, pointing to recent appointments made by Woodfork as evidence that the department may soon begin making a dent in crime. "I think that we're starting to see some change in direction. I think the police department is going to be more proactive."
Goyaneche points to the NOPD's response to recent violence in the Sixth District as an example.
"I know that has been a major area of attention by the police department, and knock on wood, the Sixth District has quieted down," Goyeneche said.
