Murder (2 Viewers)

[Jacob]

...If you get away from that type of environment for a awhile, you start to realize it isn't "normal" or "just like any city,"....

I disagree to some extent. Unless you're talking about walking the streets of Gulfport, MS or Mandeville, LA...I find that areas of Mobile, AL; Milwaukee, WI; Houston, TX; Cincinnati, OH; Orlando, FL easily have sections of the city that rival here. It's location. I would have no trouble walking the 5 blocks from my house to the Capitol One ATM on Magazine after dark. Or the one on Prytania a little further. I walked from St. Ann to Poydras St. last Saturday alone at 3am. Not once did I feel any danger. The city was lit up. Lots of police, etc.

I realize that's just my experience and the locations I'm in. And I certainly wouldn't do the same in certain areas of the city. I just think that every city does have its sections. All that said, I'm not saying the crime rate here is acceptable. I just think there is some truth to being in a certain demographic reduces one's risk factor a thousandfold.

 

[efil4stnias]

I don't particularly find it to be any type of hinderance in recovery. The fact that almost 100% of murder victims in New Orleans are criminals themselves is very telling. In other words, the "average Joe," in this city is relatively safe. As stated, unless you have a personal issue with crack cocaine...you should be just fine. Been living here my entire life...never ever been a victim of crime, at all. I did have my wallet pick-pocketed on Bourbon St. on Fat Tuesday in 1991, but, other than that, it's been smooth sailing for me in New Orleans....

not a hinderance? seriously? Did you see Sunday Money section? Tidewater, one of the LAST publicly traded compnaies is thinking LONG and HARD about moving its headquarters to Houston. This is a company that has had its roots here since 1947 ( or so ). Reason....economy, safety of its employees etc. They are to make a decision this month, but i can spare you the suspense...they are gone. period. Nothing short of immense tax breaks and other incentives will keep this company here.

Where New Orleans is headed is the ole "inmates running the asylum". You say certain "demographics" hold the criminals, but they are getting more brazen and expanding. Its ok for now since your neighborhood is unaffected. What happens the day you awake to find a murder in your neighborhood? Will you still discount the threat? Will you be just as non-chalant about it as you are now? Because if a stance isn't taken now, it will be worse before it gets better.

ps I was born and raised in Algiers and still marvel to this day the decline in areas that I remember as family oriented and wholesome. Its a shame, but true.

 

[Broadmoor74]

not a hinderance? seriously? Did you see Sunday Money section? Tidewater, one of the LAST publicly traded compnaies is thinking LONG and HARD about moving its headquarters to Houston. This is a company that has had its roots here since 1947 ( or so ). Reason....economy, safety of its employees etc. They are to make a decision this month, but i can spare you the suspense...they are gone. period. Nothing short of immense tax breaks and other incentives will keep this company here.

Where New Orleans is headed is the ole "inmates running the asylum". You say certain "demographics" hold the criminals, but they are getting more brazen and expanding. Its ok for now since your neighborhood is unaffected. What happens the day you awake to find a murder in your neighborhood? Will you still discount the threat? Will you be just as non-chalant about it as you are now? Because if a stance isn't taken now, it will be worse before it gets better.

ps I was born and raised in Algiers and still marvel to this day the decline in areas that I remember as family oriented and wholesome. Its a shame, but true.

I think both of you are right.

In many areas of New Orleans, things are not noticeably different from pre-Katrina. Walking around in my old neighborhood, even though it looks a little differently now, feels the same, as far as safety is concerned.

One great example of perception in New Orleans is that my fiancee's parents, Dallas-area natives, try to dissuade her from taking trips to New Orleans with me because of the perception they have that people are stepping over dead bodies when they leave for work in the mornings. I try to explain to them that really if they didn't have a problem letting their daughter go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras ten years ago, then they really shouldn't have a problem with it now.

It's true that drastic changes are going to have to be made, but didn't we all know that this was going to be a long difficult road?

 

[Infoman]

Every morning I read about a criminal finding his designated hole in the ground... I smile and think... 1 down... 50,000+ to go.

 

[diat150]

how would you feel about a state of the art camera system throughout most of the city? something has to be done to curb the problem. the criminals arent scared of the system anymore. they know they will be out of jail within a couple of weeks and likely wont be convicted.

 

[Broadmoor74]

how would you feel about a state of the art camera system throughout most of the city? something has to be done to curb the problem. the criminals arent scared of the system anymore. they know they will be out of jail within a couple of weeks and likely wont be convicted.

That would be great. Every city should have a camera system. But I don't see where the funding would come from being that cop cars are still 20 years behind the times.

 

[porculator]

None of those were elected in NO. So is it now it Blancos fault...or Bobby Hebert's?

Well it wasn't a shot on anyone in particular, just that Louisianans/New Orleanians generally tend to vote for people like them. Look at the last mayoral election, it was black guy who had the automatic black vote because of it vs. a guy from the old LA political family. You knew it was more of the same no matter what.

And, since you mentioned it, guys named Hebert, Delhomme, and Fourcade do seem to get cut a lot of slack around here

 

[SaintMeaux]

That would be great. Every city should have a camera system. But I don't see where the funding would come from being that cop cars are still 20 years behind the times.

Maybe there could be an angle to get some $$$ from the Feds. (Homeland Security, etc.)

I like to think of myself as a civil liberties advocate, and I see no problem with cameras, especially in high crime and public assembly areas.

Not that the Feds have been reliable in delivering funds to NOLA...

 

[ULSaint]

Maybe there could be an angle to get some $$$ from the Feds. (Homeland Security, etc.)

I like to think of myself as a civil liberties advocate, and I see no problem with cameras, especially in high crime and public assembly areas.

Not that the Feds have been reliable in delivering funds to NOLA...

That won't do a thing. They've already installed some and are getting more. Eddie Jordan's office said that video proof is not enough to convict in the infamous carwash AK47 shootout. Without a witness, you could have a signed confession and DNA and Jordan's office wouldn't prosecute the case.

 

[wbbigtymer]

But I don't see where the funding would come from being that cop cars are still 20 years behind the times.

Is this true at all? I don't know where this claim came from. I'm sure you're not being literal here, but I don't think this is accurate at all. I think the NOPD has gotten many new vehicles in the last two years, and I don't really think this is an area of concern at all. But I could be wrong.

 

[Det. Brees]

i call that a 2 for 1..
one bad guy dead you dont have to worry about anymore.. and hopefully one bad guy on the way to prison.... for a lonnnng lonnnng time...

 

[SaintMeaux]

That won't do a thing. They've already installed some and are getting more. Eddie Jordan's office said that video proof is not enough to convict in the infamous carwash AK47 shootout. Without a witness, you could have a signed confession and DNA and Jordan's office wouldn't prosecute the case.

Ah yes, Mr. Jordan. In law school, he must have been absent the day they discussed how unreliable eyewitness testimony is. He should realize that you can't intimidate a camera into not testifying.

 

[cruize]

Martial Law. Door to door criminal, drug and gun searches. It won't be easy or quick. But, until these extreme things happen, as I've said many times before, nothing is going to change. It will be unpopular for a while, mainly from outsiders who don't live in fear every day, but our nation is quick to move on. Most importantly, the problem will largely be stamped out.

 

[Broadmoor74]

Is this true at all? I don't know where this claim came from. I'm sure you're not being literal here, but I don't think this is accurate at all. I think the NOPD has gotten many new vehicles in the last two years, and I don't really think this is an area of concern at all. But I could be wrong.

I wasn't being literal. To be honest, right now I don't know how technologically advanced the NOPD is. I imagine that it's still one of the most outdated. But I do know that when I left for Texas, the NOPD was one of the few major cities without camera systems or computer monitors in their vehicles. And to this date the NOPD still doesn't have a helicopter.

 

[diat150]

i call that a 2 for 1..
one bad guy dead you dont have to worry about anymore.. and hopefully one bad guy on the way to prison.... for a lonnnng lonnnng time...

the odds say that he likely wont do any jail time