NEW ORLEANS — Broken glass on the ground next to cars is a sight that has become far too common to many New Orleanians. Already in 2021 there have been at least 550 car break-ins across the city.
There were 5,299 last year.
As the number of car break-ins swells in the city, the search for solutions is on and it took center stage Monday during a meeting of the City Council’s Criminal Justice and Community Development committees.
“I'm going to tell you, if you arrest a guy 10 times for breaking into cars, he didn't break into 10 cars. He just got caught 10 times,” said Councilman Jay Banks, chairman of the criminal justice committee. “I promise you there were times he broke into cars he didn't get caught.”
Banks has been a victim of several car break-ins, and his son’s car was recently hit as well. Police Chief Shaun Ferguson said one issue: the proverbial revolving door at the city jail.
“So … 10 o'clock on a Tuesday you arrest a guy. He's going to be back on the street when?” Banks asked Ferguson.
“Depending on the charge he can be back on the street 10 o'clock the next day,” Ferguson answered.
“Let's get specific. Let's do a car break-in,” Banks said.
“Oh, car break-in? He or she could possibly be released that same evening if not the next day,” the chief said.
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Ferguson also suggested raising the age for curfew violations from 16 to 17.
During the hours-long meeting, councilmembers and leaders of the city's criminal justice system said it might be time to start a new electronic monitoring program to keep tabs on people who have been booked with break-ins but are free from jail.
One problem with that? Another old problem.
“It all comes down to the money and the manpower,” said Tenisha Stevens, Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s criminal justice commissioner.
The idea, however, was one those in the meeting said they wanted to discuss more.
“It becomes a big ordeal,” noted Orleans Parish Criminal Court Chief Judge Karen Herman. “But you asked me what I thought could be most helpful. Frankly, I think that would be a big one.” “This elephant is huge,” Banks said in response. “We are not going to eat him at all once. We're going to get him one bite at a time.”