The head of the NOPD says their new redeployment strategy, in which they put more officers out on the streets, is showing early signs of progress.
NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson says he feels like they are moving in the right direction.
Ferguson said vehicle thefts and auto burglaries remain a problem across the city. He pointed to Sunday, when someone smashed windows out of at least 20 vehicles parked in the Central Business District. He says the same crew is responsible for these incidents, and they are actively gathering information on suspects.
Ferguson said violent crime has dipped over the past two weeks. The NOPD said there were five murders in the city over the past two weeks, compared to 12 in the same time period last year.
The redeployment plan involved reassigning dozens of detectives, specialized unit personnel and administrative officers back to district street patrol duty shifts.
Officials say having more officers on patrol is helping reduce wait times on calls for service.
