NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans officials announced Thursday that City Hall will spend $1 million dollars to add 70 surveillance cameras to its existing Real-Time Crime Center network of cameras.
The move is one way the City Council is responding to the recent uptick in violent crimes across the city, including carjackings and shootings.
"The people of New Orleans are very aware that we've seen an increase in violent crimes since the end of the pandemic," Councilmember Kristin Palmer said. "Our residents shouldn't be afraid to go to a convenience store or to stop and get gas. We need to be laser-focused on stopping violent crime in our city. I'm not going to just accept families living in fear."
Fearing for the safety of his loved ones, Armad Barnes moved to Slidell from New Orleans East, but he said he's hopeful that crime cameras can help police bring people who commit violent crimes to justice.
"I think it should help with prosecuting people who commit violent crimes," Barnes said. "The cameras could help police in their investigations."
Barnes left New Orleans East after 15 years for St. Tammany for his family in 2016.
"Crime was one of the concerns when I decided to move," Barnes said. "There's also a lot more for kids to do in Slidell."
A recent rash of car burglaries across the city has been connected to younger suspects by New Orleans Police Department investigators, and a New Orleans East shooting that wounded nine people happened at "Da Perfect Spot," where about 100 teenagers were gathering during June's first Saturday night.
O’Neal Bryant, the man who owns the event space near the 10100 block of the I-10 Service Road told WWLTV he brought his business to New Orleans East to help New Orleans East teenagers.
“I chose to bring it here because I know there’s nothing for the kids to do here,” Bryant said. “I just hope they find the guys (who opened fire) and bring them to justice because they need to be held accountable."
Officials said the city's seen a 51 percent increase in shootings and a 45 percent increase in aggravated assaults, which are mostly assaults with a weapon.
"The families here with me today are victims of violent crime," Nguyen said Thursday. "They have had no closure and no justice for the loss of their loved ones. Putting more money into the City's Crime Camera Program will give us one more tool to keep our residents and neighborhoods safe."
Some New Orleans East small business owners said they hope NOPD can use those tools to handle the rise in violent crime in New Orleans East.
Noor Hindi and his uncle Mohannand Hindi own and manage Crowder Center and East Side Cash & Carry, respectively. Their staff and customers have been victims and witnesses of several violent crimes so far in 2021.
"Adding more surveillance cameras might put a dent in violent crime, but I don't expect cameras to make that much of a difference," Noor said. "Everybody wears facemasks these days — that's the norm, and many cars involved in violent crimes turn out to be stolen. I can't see how more camera footage will lead to more arrests."
Footage of a recent carjacking outside East Side Cash & Carry shows a woman driving over a boy's leg after the boy and his sister jumped out of the car to avoid the carjacker.
Mohannad Hindi who owns the store said he hopes it helps.
"I don't think the issue is a lack of surveillance cameras," Mohannad said. "The issue is the response time. Police officers in New Orleans East need more units to help them respond to crimes."
NOPD and New Orleans Emergency Services had communications issues the day the carjacking happened; police arrived hours after the carjacking and NOEMS didn't show up at all.
The woman seen in footage of the carjacking came from an abandoned property near the business where squatters use drugs, Mohannad said.
"Maybe they can place these cameras in areas near abandoned buildings," Noor said. "Most businesses in the area are willing to share surveillance footage with police, but I don't feel like that's leading to arrests."