Last week was a rough one for the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD). According to the Metro Crime Commission, five murders and four additional nonfatal shootings took place last week in New Orleans.

https://twitter.com/MetroCrimeNOLA/status/1820489332232450207

For context, 92 homicides have taken place in New Orleans so far in 2024–a 23 percent jump from the same date in 2019.

While New Orleans-area crime has decreased from the recent highs of 2022, crime still remains higher in many categories when compared to the years before the COVID-19 era.

Besides the high level of crime still transpiring, the NOPD suffered another public relations nightmare. On Sunda, current NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick hit two pedestrians while driving her car in the French Quarter.

New Orleans police chief Anne Kirkpatrick strikes 2 pedestrians with her vehicle, injuring 1: report https://t.co/IGdEOTCBVp pic.twitter.com/Y5MYrh0iff

— New York Post (@nypost) August 4, 2024

Local news outlet Fox 8  shared that Kirkpatrick was not intoxicated during this incident. She underwent a breathalyzer test and received a 0.0 reading on the test.

Here was Kirkpatrick’s initial response to WWL-TV about this situation:

“I’m so sorry for what happened last night. I’m so grateful that the two people involved really are going to be fine. Just terribly sorry. It is under investigation, and when it’s completely finished, I’m going to ask for the state patrol to look at that investigation as well. Again, terribly sorry for the whole event.”

This response is certainly disappointing to say the least. It’s hard to imagine New Orleans residents feeling optimistic about Kirkpatrick’s leadership after such a unsatisfying response.

Additionally, the NOPD has not posted a press release regarding this situation as of yesterday afternoon, August 4th. Hopefully, the city government will post provide a transparent look into the police department’s investigation, but little information is available at this time.

A former elected official once said that “New Orleans is a ward of the state and Federal government.” After witnessing the recent Kirkpatrick car crash, it’s easy to see why. Decades of political corruption, incompetence, and high crime have ruined a city many once called “America’s most European city.”

Fixing New Orleans is not going to come from within the city anymore. The voters of New Orleans consistently elect incompetent and corrupt politicians, and there’s no indication that this trajectory will change anytime soon.

Recent moves made by Governor Jeff Landry, the Louisiana state police, and the state Legislature have stabilized some of the many issues plaguing the city of New Orleans. However, more action in the coming years is needed to fix the long-standing problems affecting the city—including crime, economic development, infrastructure, and local government corruption/mismanagement.

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