The city’s death toll has fallen dramatically over the past year, even as the number of other violent crimes has skyrocketed, according to statistics just released by the New Orleans Police Department.
The total number of murders in the first three months of the year dropped sharply, from 62 in 2011 to 45 this year, a decline of over 27 percent. The burglary rate slid over 16 percent during the same period.
However, the rate of nearly all other reportable crimes, from robberies and assaults to auto theft, has increased over the past year, settling at just over 10 percent more than in 2011. The most startling rise was in the number of robberies, at 71%.
“We will continue to redouble our efforts until we can get all crime statistics down,” said NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas, in a statement issued by the department. “I’m confident that, with our plans in place, overall crime will be down come December of this year.”