Survey: Satisfaction with New Orleans Police Increases as Violent Crime Drops

The New Orleans Police Department's standing among residents has continued to improve alongside dramatic declines in violent crime, according to an annual survey commissioned by the New Orleans Crime Coalition to gauge perceptions of local law enforcement and public safety.

Nearly half of the 800 residents interviewed in a recent telephone survey by Faucheux Strategies said they were somewhat or very satisfied with the NOPD, continuing a trend of significant improvement since the department's ratings bottomed out in 2022 and 2023.

A majority of respondents — 54% — also said the city is fairly or very safe. And most approved of Gov. Jeff Landry's deployment of the State Police to a new unit called Troop Nola. Nearly 60% said the added policing was "working well."

A statement issued by the department, led by Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, attributed recent progress to partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and the hard work of the city's own officers.

"The NOPD appreciates the public's confidence in the department as reflected in the NOCC survey," it read. "We thank our citizens for partnering with us to reduce crime in the city and creating a safer New Orleans for our residents and visitors."

The racial makeup of respondents closely tracked the city's demographics, with Black residents comprising 57% of the sample, white residents making up 35%, and the remaining 8% listed as "other." The survey was conducted between May 27 and June 4.

The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office did not fare as well as the NOPD, although the survey didn't measure overall satisfaction with Sheriff Susan Hutson's administration.

Respondents were instead asked if they believe the May 16 escape of 10 inmates resulted from jail mismanagement or lack of funding, a question that Hutson and City Council members have debated.

The survey found nearly two in three respondents blamed mismanagement for the jailbreak. Those results were similar across race, age and gender groups. The Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The 47% rating for the NOPD in 2025 marks a seven-point increase over last year and a 16-point jump since 2023. The department's 31% rating that year was its lowest in the survey's 16-year history.

The force enjoyed higher marks among Black residents, who reported a 52% satisfaction rate compared to 40% of white residents.

The improved marks still leave room to grow compared with pre-pandemic years, before an astronomical spike in violent crime during the pandemic, and then its rapid decline. The average NOPD satisfaction rating from 2016 to 2020 was 56%.

"Public perceptions of the NOPD are trending in a positive direction," pollster Ron Faucheux said in a statement. "Despite this progress, New Orleans residents believe there is still much more that needs to be done to make the city safer and the police department better."

Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

New Orleans recorded 266 homicide victims in 2022, marking one of the highest per-capita murder rates in decades. The violence began to taper in mid-2023. The 52 killings in the city so far this year have the city on track for one of its lowest murder rates on record, despite the Jan. 1 truck attack that killed 14 people.

Other violent crimes, like carjackings and armed robberies, have also seen huge declines, aligning with national trends. Much of the crime reduction has come under the watch of Kirkpatrick, who took the permanent job in fall 2023.

_________________

Visit www.nola.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.