New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell says crime appears to be trending down, based on data collected over the first few weeks of the year. But experts point out that is a really small sample size.
"We're talking about marginal numbers," said New Orleans Metro Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche of the mayor touting a 42 percent drop in armed robberies and a 64 percent reduction in carjackings. "It's way too early to basically say that we've turned the corner."
Goyeneche says does share in the mayor's optimism that new strategies will pay off.
"I think that the new superintendent is applying some different strategies that what we've seen applied recently," he said. "I believe those strategies will result in lower crime."
Goyeneche says the NOPD's return to proactive policing, concentrated in districts that have seen the worst crime, shows promise.
"The good news is we're trying to do some things a little bit differently this year than we've done in previous years," said Goyeneche, and he praised changes made by Interim Superintendent Michelle Woodfork.
"She's embracing more of a proactive approach to policing in this city," Goyeneche said.
