New Orleans violent crime drops for third year before Guard patrols

Violent Crime in New Orleans Declines for Third Year

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Violent crime in New Orleans has decreased for a third consecutive year in 2025, according to police officials. This announcement comes as National Guard troops begin patrolling the city on orders from President Donald Trump.

The crime statistics were released shortly after armed troops arrived in New Orleans. This deployment is part of Trump’s efforts to combat crime in various cities. A separate immigration crackdown that started in December has also sent hundreds of federal agents to the area.

Local Officials’ Response

Local officials had resisted the idea of a Guard mission in New Orleans. They noted that crime was already falling and that troops are not trained for arrests or investigations. However, Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick expressed support for the troops, viewing their presence as a deterrent.

“The National Guard’s presence will certainly have impact,” Kirkpatrick stated. “We’re just grateful that crime is down, and I don’t care who gets the credit.”

Deployment Details

Trump approved the deployment of 350 National Guard members to Louisiana after a request from Governor Jeff Landry. Other cities where Trump has sent National Guard troops include Washington and Memphis, Tennessee.

During a Saturday news conference, Trump attributed the drop in crime to the Guard’s presence. “We have crime down to almost nothing already,” he said. He questioned why governors would not want federal assistance.

Landry, a Republican, stated that troops were necessary in New Orleans due to “elevated violent crime rates,” despite local officials claiming crime has been decreasing for years.

Crime Statistics

Since 2022, murders, shootings, armed robberies, and carjackings in New Orleans have significantly decreased. In 2022, the city had 266 murders, making it the country’s per-capita “murder capital.” In 2025, there were only 121 murders, including 14 from a vehicle-ramming attack on January 1, 2024.

The New Orleans Police Department defines “murders” as criminal homicides. This includes suspected homicides under investigation and excludes suicides, accidental deaths, and justifiable homicides. Suspected manslaughter is not counted in the murder total.

Current Troop Deployment

The National Guard troops are currently stationed in the historic French Quarter, where they were also deployed last year after the New Year’s Day attack. Kirkpatrick expressed a desire for Guard members to be present in other crime-prone areas, stating that their deployment supports the understaffed city police force of 910 members.

“If they prevent a crime by their presence, I’m all for the safety of the city, as long as it’s constitutional and ethical,” she added.

Mayor’s Position

New Orleans’ Democratic mayor-elect, Helena Moreno, initially opposed the National Guard deployment. However, she later welcomed federal support for the city’s safety during the Mardi Gras carnival season, which lasts into February.

A spokesperson for Landry mentioned that the governor’s office has not yet decided if troops will be deployed beyond the French Quarter.

Overall Crime Trends

The decline in violent crime in New Orleans reflects a broader trend of decreasing crime rates in major U.S. cities since the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeff Asher, a former CIA crime analyst and co-founder of AH Datalytics, noted, “We’re generally seeing a dramatic drop in overall crime pretty much everywhere across the country.”