New Orleans: fewest killings in 44 years; other crimes up

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - New Orleans' homicide total last year was the lowest in 44 years, but every other crime is up from last year - and some are way up.

The police department's annual crime report shows the number of rapes up nearly 39 percent, armed robberies up 37 percent, and others up 12 percent to 27 percent. The only single-digit increase is burglary, up 8 percent.

"The final numbers in 2014 show a sustained and historic drop in murder across New Orleans," said Chief Michael Harrison said in a news release emailed about 6 p.m. Friday. "After three consecutive years of murder reduction, we know our focus on enforcement and prevention with the city's compressive NOLA for Life plan is working."

The increase in other crimes is probably no surprise to city residents, the head of the nonprofit Metropolitan Crime Commission, Rafael Goyeneche, told NOLA.com ' The Times-Picayune (http://bit.ly/1ADvEYF ).

"The public here has been hearing for months about the acute shortage of police manpower in the city. The rise in the reported crime, I think, is indicative that the criminal element also recognizes the weakness of the police department in its present state," he said.

The department has lost more than 400 officers over the past five years. It has about 1,160 officers, down from 1,600 - the figure Mayor Mitch Landrieu says the department needs.

The department's news release noted that Harrison has moved 25 officers from administrative work to street patrols and has recruited more than 100 former officers to help with street patrols as unpaid volunteers. The benefit for those officers is that after a certain number of hours, they can take lucrative outside jobs in uniform.

Police unions have blamed inadequate pay raises and a crippling hiring freeze Landrieu imposed early in his first term while trying to balance the city's budget. New recruitment efforts began in 2013 but have not been able to outpace recent attrition.

Harrison said a recently created violent crimes task force has helped officers respond faster to crimes committed in hot spots, and members' visibility on patrol has prevented crimes.