NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell categorized the violent crime spree in New Orleans lately as “terrorism” as she lashed out at several issues, including finger-pointing for the crime surge, a system that she says has been putting criminals back on the street at low or no bond and parents who she says understand full well that their children are involved in criminal behavior and don't act.
“We understand that the terrorism that has been happening on the streets and to our people is unacceptable,” she said at a press conference called to address the problems.
Cantrell used an example of a parent who begged to be moved because her house had been shot up a couple of times.
“(She) asked, ‘please move me.’ We worked to move her, only to say that if we move you and the activity and engagement continues, it will follow where you go, sure enough, same involvement with the children, same involvement on the streets and therefore having victims in our city and our community," she said.
Cantrell said that she and the police department need to be held accountable, but that the rest of the criminal justice system needs to hold up their end of the deal.
Cantrell said the NOPD often arrests the same people over and over. She said situations where suspects receive no or low bail is a problem as is the fact that there have been only four jury trials held in the past year-and-a-half.
“What we’re seeing from these brazen criminals of every age – they’re relentless,” she said. ”They’re vicious and they show us themselves on social media platforms every single day.”
At the same press conference, NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson talked about some changes in organization that included several items, but few specific details. They included; expanding partnerships with federal law enforcement agencies, having a unit in every district whose sole responsibility to proactively enforce the laws, improving data analysis in each district, a possible move to 12-hour patrol shifts and a request that the city council amend or repeal the surveillance ordinance in respect to facial recognition and license plate surveillance to give his officers “more tools in their tool box.”
Ferguson championed his department for taking 2,000 guns off the street last year against 1,000 the year before. He also brought up a recent indictment by the district attorney’s office of four people he called “serial carjackers.”
“We are 100 percent committed to reduce violent crime,” he said. “This is a serious problem that requires serious collaboration. You will see action.”
Ferguson did say that any move toward 12-hour patrols wouldn’t happen until after Mardi Gras.
Cantrell and Ferguson are taking heat for the spike in violent crime that has been illustrated recently by several high profile killings and violent incidents caught on video.
Homicides, shootings, carjackings and armed robberies are all up in New Orleans compared to last year. According to the city council, 10 days ago, Ferguson committed to sharing a plan to address the spike in violence.
Despite the soaring crime numbers and the high profile killings of a couple of children and a woman on the interstate, along with surveillance videos that have shown multiple gunmen shoot dozens of rounds into parked cars, a city spokesperson said on Tuesday that Superintendent Ferguson has the full support of Mayor Cantrell.