NEW ORLEANS — On Friday, Nov. 16, The City of New Orleans announced the completed installation of eight public safety cameras in the Gentilly neighborhood, funded by the State of Louisiana through the Gentilly Development District. Executed through a partnership between the City of New Orleans and members of the New Orleans delegation at the State Legislature, the new cameras are added to an existing network of more than 300 City-owned cameras feeding into the New Orleans Real-Time Crime Center and supporting real-time and investigatory public safety activities.
The announcement was made in a press release.
“We are able to expand the City’s network of safety cameras today because of the partnership we have with our delegation at the State Legislature,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “We held our most recent monthly meeting with the delegation at our Real-Time Crime Center, and we continue to build out those partnerships — with everyone working together in a team effort to improve our public safety.”
District "D" Councilmember Jared C. Brossett said, "We've taken considerable strides in our efforts to ensure the safety of New Orleans residents, but there's still much work to be done. As Budget Chair, I’ll continue to make the investments into our community that address public safety by using smart technology tools to enhance the quality of life for our citizens. These new cameras will greatly improve NOPD officers' ability to respond to crime incidents and bring those responsible to justice, directly benefitting all who live in Gentilly and the surrounding neighborhoods."
A political subdivision of the State, the Gentilly Development District was founded to provide cooperative economic development within its borders. Members of the board include Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Councilmember Jared Brossett, Assessor Erroll Williams, Senator J.P. Morrell, Senator Wesley Bishop, and Representative Joseph Bouie. Locations of the eight cameras funded by the Gentilly Development District were determined based on input from the New Orleans Police Department.
Senator J.P. Morrell said, "It was team effort to provide more safety and peace of mind to the residents of Gentilly. The Gentilly Development District is a proud partner, with the City of New Orleans, in promoting public safety and security."
Senator Wesley Bishop said, “It is my hope that these additional cameras will provide the residents of Gentilly with some increased level of security. It is our job as legislators to do whatever we can to protect our residents. I am honored to have played a part in this project.”
Representative Joseph Bouie said, “The installation of these eight additional public safety cameras is the Gentilly Development District’s response to residents’ concern. A concern for a comprehensive use of crime fighting tools that create safe neighborhoods. These cameras will provide a technological approach that will deter, as well as, help solve crimes committed within the Gentilly Development District.”
The 24/7 New Orleans Real-Time Crime Center leverages technology to provide critical information to first responders in the field and to assist with investigations of criminal activity or quality of life concerns. When a 9-1-1 call for service is made, cameras near the incident automatically spin up, allowing crime center technicians to communicate what they see on the scene directly with the responding public safety personnel. Footage from public safety cameras has been used to provide critical information related to criminal activity, illegal dumping, special events, street flooding, and other life-threatening emergencies.
Opened in November 2017, the crime center is a state-of-the-art facility modeled after best practices in public safety monitoring across the globe. The crime center was created as a part of the 2017 $40 million Citywide Public Safety Improvement Plan.
