Nola Reporter

The Year in Review newsletter is a five-part series to provide direct information on work accomplished in 2023 on behalf of the residents of New Orleans. 

A Message from Mayor Cantrell 

"At the start of 2023, we were met with a significant increase in crime that had to be treated as a public health emergency. Our world-class police department and entire unified Public Safety Command Team readily stepped up to the task at hand. I attended roll calls with our police officers at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., every day, in every district, to listen to the women and men and have a greater understanding of the challenges they face. From there, we engaged former NYPD Chief Fausto Pichardo, in partnership with the New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation, and collectively embarked on a 10-day scan to strengthen officer safety, crime fighting, retention, and recruiting.

At the beginning of 2023, we swiftly stood up the Violent Crime Reduction Taskforce, which provoked a real since of accountability to reducing violent crime throughout key administrative departments, demonstrating the priority of public safety and our collective dedication to doing the work as a team. Due to our overall strategic and collaborative response, New Orleans experienced a 22 percent reduction in violent crime compared to 2022, nearly doubling the national average of crime reduction. While we recognize this success, we acknowledge there is still more progress to be made in keeping our people safe and healthy.    

All our City’s dedicated first responders, from police officers and firefighters to paramedics and call center employees, make the choice to serve us daily. Through their hard work and compassion, they make our city safer for residents and visitors alike. Whether it’s New Orleans Emergency Medical Services saving lives with their innovative trauma blood program, the only one of its kind in the state, or the New Orleans Fire Department adapting to contain and extinguish wildfires that are not typical for our region, our public safety team is "Doing the Work!"

It takes the whole community working together to curb senseless violence and spread peace, hope and love throughout our city. This is why we hosted our first-ever Public Safety Summit, spearheaded by the Office of Criminal Justice Coordination, to bring together top law enforcement officials and community leaders to discuss how to protect our city, address root causes of violence and promote a safer New Orleans for all.    

The City also continues to take a holistic approach in addressing public safety and public health by investing in violence interruption programs and wraparound services for victims. The New Orleans Health Department (NOHD), in partnership with other departments, secured approximately $50 million in ARPA funding to support programs that show strong evidence for reducing violence and supporting basic human services. Additionally, the City received a $2.4 million award from the Crime Victims Assistance Formula Grants to further assist our residents who have experienced violence and trauma. 

As we prepare for another year of hosting major events, as well as looking ahead to Super Bowl LIX in 2025, rest assured that we are utilizing every resource available, expanding on every partnership and integrating new technology and equipment to reaffirm why New Orleans is an international model of hosting large-scale public events."  

Sincerely, 

~ Mayor LaToya Cantrell 

City of New Orleans

Original source can be found here.