2022 ends with New Orleans as America’s murder capital with the most killings per capita. Violent crime in the Crescent City has reached levels not seen in years.
Morale with the New Orleans Police Department is low, says New Orleans Metropolitan Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche. He says the city has lost over 150 police officers this year.
"The police department stood at nearly 13,000 officers," he said. "As we speak today were looking at about 900 police officers."
Goyeneche says since 2019, the homicide rate has increased by 132 percent.
"Shootings have increased 87 percent, car jackings have increased 167 percent, and armed robberies are up 21 percent,” said Goyeneche.
Goyeneche says political officials are now responding to the issue by providing officers the resources they need.
"The pay raises that have been ignored for the past three years will be provided to the police department," said Goyeneche.