It took fewer than 90 days to see results…
On May 14th, we brought together New Orleans business leaders and NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick to discuss the problems they see on a daily basis affecting commerce in the city’s most trafficked areas. Restaurant proprietors, hotel operators, real estate, banking, and media leaders were all in attendance. It was a real, open, and honest conversation.
Click for full NOLA.com Article
Surprisingly, major crimes like homicides and shootings weren’t the primary topic – although they were addressed. Rather, it was “nuisance” crimes – those crimes that don’t make news but that erode the experience of locals and tourists in our most walkable areas. Bucket drummers, aggressive panhandlers, permitless vendors, and illegally parked vehicles were the most referenced problems that business owners stated contributed to negative reviews from areas like the French Quarter.
The Superintendent and Chief Deputy Hans Ganthier exchanged ideas with attendees for how they might combat the problems quickly while preserving the musical culture of the area. Tangible strategies, including cooperation with Troop NOLA, were hashed out and the Chief made good on her promises in a multi-agency “French Quarter sweep” on August 7th.
For 29 years, this has been the mission of the NOPJF – to make New Orleans a safer place to live, work, and visit by solving the problems that matter. In 2022, we brought in consultants whose strategies were credited for a dramatic decrease in all categories of violent crime still declining today. Before that, it was re-imagining the entire recruitment process. From implementing new software and replacing paper processes to embracing new technologies such as drones, our work leads the way.
The constant in all this: Your support. We can’t do it without you. Thank you.
