NOPD making more arrests as crime falls

Violent crime in New Orleans is falling, and felony arrests are up. New Orleans Metropolitan Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche says it's no coincidence.

"What we've seen over the last four months is a 30 percent increase in felony arrests," said Goyeneche.

Goyeneche told WWL's Newell Normand that a renewed focus on proactive policing in New Orleans, including work done by federal and state authorities, has helped removed criminals, dangerous weapons, and drugs from our streets.

"Fifty-four firearms seized, ten firearm automatic switches seize, narcotics, and those arrests are going to make this community safer," he said.

The MCC says homicide in 2024 is 44% lower than 2023, but still 19% higher than 2019.
Nonfatal shootings in 2024 are 40% lower than 2023, but still up 3% over 2019.
Carjacking incidents have shown dramatic decline at 40% lower than 2023, 68% lower than 2022 and 5% lower than 2019.
Armed robbery continues to show double-digit rates of decline compared with the past five years; down nearly 40% compared to last year and 38% lower than in 2019.
Since 2023, auto theft incidents have dropped 47%, but remaim 36% higher than 2019.