By Natasha Robin | WVUE | July 26, 2021
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Violent crime across New Orleans is up, and the latest Metropolitan Crime Commission report gives the public a chance to see the types of crime unfolding in each particular neighborhood.
According to the report, the 7th District of New Orleans East, the 5th District, which includes, St. Roch, the Lower 9th Ward, Desire, Holy Cross neighborhood and the 7th Ward, have the highest rate of major violent crime in the last six months.
In the 7th District, 209 violent crimes have been reported since Jan. 1, 2021. The 5th District reported 138.
The 7th District also accounts for 57 carjackings, more than one-third of all carjackings city-wide. The 3rd District, which includes, parts of Mid-City, the Fairgrounds, Gentilly, West End, and Lakeview has the second-highest amount of carjackings.
“We’re worried coming home at night in our car. I’m scared taking my garbage out at night. I wish I could do it without thinking about it, but I can’t really,” says Gentilly resident Chris Carpenter.
Rafael Goyeneche of the Metropolitan Crime Commission points out crime is increasing while the NOPD is dealing with a manpower shortage. The MCC is recommending increasing NOPD staffing, especially in those crime hot spots. Goyeneche also says NOPD officers should be given a pay raise.
“The political leadership needs to allocate more resources to public safety which means offering pay raises to officers phased in over several years. It will reduce attrition and it will also boost recruitment going into it,” says Goyeneche.
The Metropolitan Crime Commission is also recommending authorizing the constitutional use of data and technology, like electronic monitoring and crime cameras.