The overall positive responses in the New Orleans Crime Coalition Annual Satisfaction Survey of the New Orleans Police Department are encouraging.

The men and women of the NOPD remain committed to reducing violent crime, holding criminals responsible, and improving service to build a safer community.

Over all 57% of respondents in the survey say they are satisfied with the NOPD.

• 74% of respondents say that the NOPD employee they encountered was pleasant and courteous.
• 81% of respondents say they feel safe in their own neighborhoods, 18% said they did not, and 1% were unsure.
• 57% of respondents say, over all, the City of New Orleans is safe, 41% say the city is not safe, and 2% were unsure.
• 66% of respondents say they are satisfied with police performance in their own neighborhoods, 24% were not, and 9% were unsure.

The Department’s dedication to training is key to many improvements.

EPIC – Ethical Policing is Courageous, continues to prove to be a valuable tool in practicing Constitutional Policing. NOPD officers are trained to intervene with one another, with no fear of reprisal, to de-escalate tensions during police and citizen engagements.  

In the last six months, during nationwide civil unrest protesting police misconduct, except for one incident, the NOPD has been an example of change demanded by citizens from across the country.

"The feedback in the NOCC Survey clearly illustrates our hard work in the community," said Superintendent Shaun Ferguson. "We have strived, and have now become, a national leader in Constitutional Policing and police reform -- people are feeling safer in their neighborhoods."

However, the NOPD recognizes that there remains room for improvement.

“We continue to work vigilantly, 24/7, to fight violent crime, solve open cases, and bring more criminals to justice.” 

The NOPD expects to increase its effectiveness in fighting violent crime through the recent formation of the Violent Crime Abatement Investigation Team or VCAIT.  But Superintendent Ferguson reminds citizens that all of us are in this together, and it’s going to take a higher level of community involvement to be successful. 

“It's one thing to know about crime; it's another thing to prove it -- if you see something, say something."

The NOCC survey, its 16th since 2009, measures public perception of police performance in providing for the safety of residents of New Orleans. The study is a randomized, representative, independent survey designed to track trends over time in how New Orleans residents view the New Orleans Police Department.

The full survey may be found at www.crimecoalitionnola.com.