New Orleans, which just two years ago was dubbed the murder capital of the U.S. during the post-COVID crime surge, is seeing a roughly 50% drop in murders from 2022 onwards and a 71% drop in juvenile murders from 2023 onwards.
Ann Kirkpatrick, who was appointed superintendent (the equivalent of police chief) of the New Orleans Police Department last year, credits recent success in preventing violent crime to cooperation between local, federal and state authorities.
“We're definitely seeing a turnaround in the city,” Kirkpatrick told Fox News Digital. “We're well above the national trends. … These rates are trending downwards nationally. Our rates are double the national trends. This is not by chance, this is by design. We've actually been very strategic and can point to some strategies that we know are making a difference.”
The police chief said the department is in weekly discussions with community groups, state police, federal authorities and the district attorney.
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The graph shows a significant drop in homicides in New Orleans this year. (New Orleans City Council)
“We literally get together once a week and talk about it and then we use policing strategies that have been around for a while,” Kirkpatrick explained.
The strategy, called “Operation Ceasefire,” originated in Boston and New Orleans adopted its own interpretation of the model specific to New Orleans crime.
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“We've named it GRIP, which stands for Firearm Reduction Intervention Plan. So, looking at the bigger picture, we know that there is a certain number of repeat offenders who use firearms. We call them trigger pullers,” the superintendent explained. “Those individuals have been identified, and that's why we focus on offenders. So, when you have a small number of individuals who are responsible for most of the violent crimes, the strategy is really to identify them and intervene and break that cycle. … We will arrest and incarcerate if necessary, but we are also taking a comprehensive public health approach.”
Since 2022, New Orleans has seen a 50% drop in homicides. (Fox News Digital)
Michael Hecht, CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc., a nonprofit that works to improve business and quality of life in New Orleans, similarly said that while major cities across the U.S. have seen an overall decline in homicides from 2020 to the present, New Orleans has seen a particularly dramatic drop in violent crime.
“Two years ago, New Orleans was really in crisis mode. In 2019, homicides were at a 19-year low. So that was shocking, really tragic, and then in 2022, all of a sudden we were on track to be the homicide capital of the country,” Hecht explained. “And that was seen first and foremost as not only morally unacceptable, but potentially economically devastating.”
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In addition to the surge in homicides, Hecht noted that carjackings have also increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, creating “a sense of fear in every community.”
“Since the dark days of 2022, our homicide rate has decreased by 50 percent,” Hecht said, “and most importantly, over the past year, our juvenile homicide rate has decreased by more than 70 percent. Shootings have decreased as well. Carjackings have decreased by almost 70 percent. And armed robberies have decreased by 55 percent.”
Michael Hecht, CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc., a nonprofit that works to improve business and quality of life in New Orleans, said that while major cities across the country have seen an overall decline in homicides from 2020 to the present, New Orleans has seen a particularly dramatic drop in violent crime. (NOLA Union)
In response to arguments that other cities are seeing the same trends, Hecht noted that New Orleans has “the fourth-fastest average rate of decline in all major crime categories among major U.S. cities” and that it is “about three to four times better than the national trend,” citing an analysis by the City of New Orleans Crime Statistics Bureau. Association of Metropolitan Mayors.
How did city leaders accomplish such a feat? Hecht pointed to a variety of initiatives and organizations that have worked to curb crime, including Louisiana Governor Jeffrey Landry's efforts to sign bills aimed at preventing violence and increasing penalties for fentanyl trafficking and carjacking, and the creation of a specialized law enforcement unit called Troop NOLA.
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Sergeant Ariel Mercadal of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office keeps a close eye on the parade crowds. (Fox News)
Hecht also cited three specific initiatives that he believes have helped the city reduce homicides: “more proactive policing, particularly targeting violent criminals and taking them off the streets,” greater use of modern technology to help improve the New Orleans Police Department's “solve rate,” and increased cooperation between federal, state and local authorities.
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“There's been an ideology and a community that focuses only on policing or only on systemic issues, but we said, 'No, we need to focus on both at the same time, because of course there's a feedback loop. If we don't have safety today, we won't have the resources to invest in tomorrow.'
When it comes to the big declines in juvenile crime, Hecht noted that New Orleans Public Schools struggled during the pandemic, leading more juveniles to turn to crime and violence, but has since “made the most progress in the state.”
A woman picks up beads on Bourbon Street while celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans. (Hannah Rae Lambert/Fox News Digital)
The New Orleans Career Center focuses on helping local youth find jobs that will keep them away from violence.
“There's no question that, as many people say, nothing stops a bullet like a job.”
Leaders have also worked to improve recreational sports, and faith-based organizations have worked together to provide counseling services to “kids who are having trouble at home.”The CEO mentioned the NOLA Coalition, an organization made up of members from all walks of life in New Orleans, including Greater New Orleans, that seeks to “create a safer and more prosperous New Orleans for all its residents.”
The increased investment in the city has allowed the city to hire New Orleans Police Chief Ann Kirkpatrick, who could not be reached for comment. Hecht said Kirkpatrick is “definitely part of the success story.” (Handouts)
“By representing a very diverse electorate that really represents the fabric of our city — black and white, Republican and Democrat, rich and poor — the NOLA Coalition brought what I call 'positive pressure' to our leadership to do the right thing, like putting more money into improving the treatment of police officers and putting more money into our schools. We also put our money where our mouth is by raising funds from the local business community,” Hecht said. “We proved that we're not just people who pay lip service.”
“We've proven that we're not just talking.”
Increased investment in the city of New Orleans has allowed Kirkpatrick to be hired, and Hecht said he's “definitely been part of a success story.”
New Orleans has seen a recent decline in nearly every type of violent crime. (Fox News Digital)
The NOLA Coalition also raised $8 million of the $15 million to support local youth programs, including mentoring, mental health services and improved recreation.
“The closing of schools, combined with the rollback of policing across the country, has created a very dangerous and toxic environment, so the fact that we've reversed that so dramatically is encouraging, but also pretty surprising,” Hecht said. “So when we started the NOLA Coalition two years ago, our intention, our hope, was to reduce violence. If you had told me that in two years we'd be seeing signs of success and that we'd be fourth in the country for the most rapid reduction in violence, I would have said… That's a good North Star. But we're dealing with a lot of complex issues here, so it's pretty mind-boggling.”
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When compared to national data from the Major Cities Police Chiefs Association, New Orleans saw a roughly 45% decrease in homicides from last year (roughly 50% compared to 2022), while major cities overall saw a national average of an 18% decrease in homicides. New Orleans saw a 44% decrease in robberies and aggravated assaults decrease by 21% this year compared to last year, while nationally cities saw an average decrease of 8% in homicides and 5% in aggravated assaults.
FBI Director Christopher Wray praised New York City's efforts during a visit there this month, calling its success in combating violent crime “extraordinary.” (FBI)
The positive changes are exciting news for New Orleans, which will host the 69th Super Bowl on Feb. 9. Hecht said he and other New Orleans leaders are making infrastructure improvements in preparation for America's most-watched event, but plan to maintain and continue those improvements after the game.
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FBI Director Christopher Wray praised the city's efforts during a visit this month, calling the city's accomplishments in combating violent crime “extraordinary.”
“That's something we hope to continue to replicate,” Ray said. Nora.
