NEW ORLEANS — Acting New Orleans Police Chief Michelle Woodfork announced her new plan to reduce the city's crime problem on Thursday.
"We're as tired of the crime as the public is," Woodfork said at a press conference. "We want to make New Orleans safe."
Woodfork said her plan will focus on returning to older police practices, measures she believes will improve collaboration and limit crime.
“This is back to basics, gumshoe policing, just like you said," Woodfork said. "Getting with our federal partners, doing those proactive pieces again.”
The plan has three pillars:
- Improving public safety through partnerships and efficient use of resources.
- Retaining and recruiting officers and creating a positive work environment.
- Creating systems that improve the efficiency.
For Woodfork, part of that means technology upgrades like new computers and, possibly, the use of robots. These advancements would be coupled with partnerships with state and federal agencies, and local churches.
“We’re not going to police our way out of violent crime,” she said.
Pastor Lester Love was at the press conference and has planned on joining in this effort to collaborate with local institutions.
Love is a bishop at The City of Love church in Gert Town. He said he believes that fighting crime takes an all-hands on deck approach.
“Yes the police have their part to do, but the community has their part to do,” Love said. “We continue to raise their level of faith that they can believe this is going to get better and to constantly encourage the people around us, and let people know they’re going to need your spirituality In this time.”
Another issue, Woodfork addressed, was officer retention. The NOPD chief plans on asking officers who recently resigned or retired to return to the force.
And Councilman Oliver Thomas said he has heard whispers they will for the right price.
“Use some institutional knowledge, go back to what worked and how do you merge that with the present," Councilman Thomas said. "So I like the three initiatives.”
Thomas emphasized the need to boost the NOPD's numbers, by broadening requirements.
“A person may not have official law enforcement background or training but if they have some security and some training, we could add that to their resume while their going through the academy to shorten the process,” Thomas said.