New Orleans Police Department interim superintendent Michelle Woodfork laid out her crime fighting strategies, as the department deals with shrinking ranks.
The plans involve cooperating with partner agencies such as the FBI, ATF and U.S. Marshals to focus efforts on the neighborhoods that have experienced the most violence. Chief Woodfork says she knows this isn't anything revolutionary, but it is something they were doing that was effective before the pandemic.
"Well, when COVID hit, we weren't doing a lot of proactive policing. It was basically reactive," Woodfork said. "Most people were at home, in their homes, so it was not a lot of proactivity out there to do, and I think we got away from it."
NOPD ranks have shrunk from around 1,300 prior to the pandemic to fewer than 930 today. Over that same time period, homicides increased 150 percent, armed robberies increased 41 percent, carjackings shot up 122 percent, and shooting incidents increased 179 percent.
Chief Woodfork said they are also considering new technology to help make up for some of the personnel losses.
"We are invested in drones," the chief said. "We have not used them in any capacity just yet because we have to write policies to use those drones."
Chief Woodfork says those drone policies will need a few layers of review, including the approval of the department's federal consent decree monitor.
