NEW ORLEANS — With the New Orleans Saints' season opener just two days away, Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced event safety initiatives ahead of the team's showdown with the Tennessee Titans in the Caesers Superdome on Sunday.
The City of New Orleans Office of Criminal Justice Coordination, New Orleans Police Department and New Orleans Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness have teamed up to address event safety in order to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for residents and visitors attending fall events.
“The City has aggressively responded to concerns from both residents and visitors regarding vehicle burglaries and auto thefts around the downtown area, and we have actively worked to combat this issue,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Through analyzing the data and utilizing strategic deployment and smart technology, NOPD has been able to curb the rise in auto thefts and vehicle burglaries we saw particularly at the beginning of the year."
In January, several cars were broken into outside the Smoothie King Center during the Pelicans win over the Houston Rockets Wednesday night. Other vehicles where burglarized while the Saints hosted the Carolina Panthers at the Superdome
Even Pels and Saints' owner Gayle Benson was nearly carjacked in Uptown New Orleans in 2020. and now residents want games and fall events to be crime-free in 2023.
"Heading into football season and other fall events, we are being intentional in deploying our public safety personnel and resources to continue this great work," said Cantrell. "We are also grateful to have the full support of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans behind us as we work towards the common goal of a safe and thriving city.”
Maximizing NOPD patrols and utilizing other law enforcement agencies is just a part of the mayor's solution. The city is also working with parking lot owners in the downtown area to encourage them to consider hiring security patrols through the Office of Police Secondary Employment for games and concerts, especially when they occur during evening hours.
The city says hiring off-duty officers in these lots will boost visibility of law enforcement, which is one of the most effective ways to deter criminal activity, as well as using smart technology and force multipliers, such as monitoring at the Real Time Crime Center.
“Public safety is our top priority, and we have implemented a strategic plan to ensure the protection of everyone attending events at the Caesars Superdome and the Smoothie King Center,” said NOPD Interim Superintendent Michelle Woodfork.
“The First, Sixth and Eighth Districts will work in a concerted effort to actively patrol the area," she continued. "District Investigative Units will also be deployed as they know what areas have been affected. Our District Assisted Response Team will also be part of this effort.”
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