NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans City Council President, Helena Moreno, and Vice-President, JP Morrell, voiced their concerns about crime and safety in New Orleans on Eyewitness News Tuesday morning.
Morrell and Moreno said in the interview that the council has come up with solutions, but it's the Mayor's Office and NOPD that are failing to implement them.
“We feel like we’re screaming from the rooftops," Moreno said on the Eyewitness Morning News Tuesday morning, “And it’s like a wall. It’s like screaming into a void. It’s like screaming at a wall.”
The Council President and Vice President said lack of action from the City's administration and NOPD isn't helping anything get better.
“First, the leadership of this city has to admit that there’s a problem," Moreno said.
“You’re talking about the Mayor’s office?” WWL's Eric Paulen asked.
“Yes, and we’re also talking about the leadership of the NOPD as well," Moreno responded, "This is a crisis.”
Moreno said that New Orleans is number one per capita in murders across all cities in the U.S. right now.
Morrell said the council's solutions, such as a $1 million initiative to increase police recruitment, passed. Since then, nothing has happened.
“The administration will not sign the MOU to start the increased recruitment," Morrell said, “What we’ve seen time and time again is the council will come up with solutions. We passed a multi-point crime plan in February and put it our there and said here’s the crime plan and both the mayor and police chief said not necessarily we have our own plan.”
The councilmembers said other solutions have fallen flat such as bringing in companies that could handle non-injury accidents. In turn, Moreno said that would increase available officers to handle other calls.
“The city council is willing to increase the money spent towards these types of on site services that respond to accidents," Moreno said, "The problem is, we can’t seem to get the city to put out a contract to bid this out for enhanced services.”
Morrell said his frustration grew over the weekend when NOPD officers were pulled to the French Quarter and CBD to cover for Essence Fest.
“There’s an obsession in this City of being obsessed with appearances," Morrell said, "It’s the same reason why the administration keeps downplaying crime because they want to make sure that the nation doesn’t see the City having a crime problem. Even though the residents that are here, obviously know that’s true.”
Since then, Mayor LaToya Cantrell's office told Eyewitness News some of their statements were untrue and that safety is her top priority.
Mayor Cantrell said in a statement to WWL:
"Public safety remains my number one priority, and my administration remains laser-focused on the goal of reducing crime in New Orleans. For anyone to say that we don’t take crime and public safety seriously, is someone who is not paying attention to the prevention, intervention and community transformation strategies that this administration has put forward. As I have consistently stated, public safety is more than just police and law enforcement which is why my administration is taking and continues to take a holistic approach to addressing this issue," Mayor LaToya Cantrell said.
"Programs like establishing the first ever Guaranteed Basic Income pilot for New Orleans youth, youth workforce development programs and Project Golden Eagle– one of our many partnerships with the Louisiana State Police– are just some of the ways my administration addresses the root causes of crime. Alongside these core strategies, my administration also encourages people to take personal responsibility for their actions, to hold themselves accountable and not resort to violence and harming others when engaged in disputes. This is a community wide problem that requires a community wide response."
Councilmember Lesli Harris also responded to the remarks made by Morrell and Moreno in a statement:
“New Orleans is leading the nation in murders. Thoroughly addressing public safety takes years of policy change and community investments, which this Council is taking on. But we also need immediate solutions. With less than 1,000 officers left at NOPD, I’ve spent the past few months focused on officer recruitment and retention. This includes my ordinances to provide annual officer pay raises and to reform NOPD internal affairs, as well as partnerships I’m working to establish between NOPD and local universities to provide low- or no-cost continuing education. My fellow Councilmembers and I will continue actively working toward increasing NOPD manpower and addressing the dire crime situation. Ultimately, though, we – as members of the Council and as residents of the City – depend on the Mayor and the Chief’s buy-in and action.”