NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation (NOPJF) is inviting citizens of the Greater New Orleans region to go blue by wearing blue clothing and displaying blue lights on Oct. 8 to honor local law enforcement officers. The date is significant because “10-8” is the police radio code for “in-service.”
The NOPJF has worked with the Louisiana Lieutenant Governor and New Orleans City Council on Go Blue Day observances in previous years and is encouraging neighboring and regional parishes to show their support this year. For the fourth year in a row, the Honorable City Council President JP Morrell is introducing a declaration in observance of Go Blue Day in New Orleans to be signed by all members of the New Orleans City Council.
Go Blue Day Returns Oct. 8
In recognition of the observance, NOPJF is encouraging businesses, landmarks, and residents to illuminate their buildings and homes in blue. In previous years, New Orleans locations including the Caesars Superdome, Hibernia Tower, Sheraton New Orleans Hotel and Crescent City Connection have participated. The NOPJF hopes the blue lights will demonstrate to officers that the community has their “six.”
The NOPJF, whose mission is to make New Orleans a safer place to live, work and visit, supports numerous programs that directly impact the effectiveness, safety, and well-being of local law enforcement. These include advanced officer training, technology procurement, officer safety and wellness programs, tuition assistance, Mardi Gras support, and increasing the effectiveness of specialized units and districts. Recent programs include support for the NOPD Homicide Unit, Drone Unit, Canine Unit, and Digital Forensics Unit.
“Law enforcement is the heart of a safe and thriving community,” said Melanie Talia, CEO of the NOPJF. “On Go Blue Day, we say thank you to the men and women who choose to serve, protect, and lead with integrity. We also recognize the tremendous progress being made in New Orleans while remembering that our officers continue to face danger every day.”
Violent Crime Continues to Decline
New Orleans is experiencing a historic decline in violent crime. Violent crime has reached its lowest level in the city since 1969, while homicides are also at their lowest level in approximately 60 years. Through the first half of 2026, violent crime, homicides, and nonfatal shootings continued to decline compared with the same period in 2025.
The progress has occurred alongside increased cooperation among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Operation Summer Heat 2.0, conducted by more than two dozen agencies, resulted in 532 arrests, 224 firearms seized and more than 137 kilograms of illegal drugs seized in the Greater New Orleans area. NOPD and Louisiana State Police have also participated in targeted operations with federal and local partners, including Operation Take Back, which focused on preventing illegal street takeovers and resulted in seven arrests.
Remembering Fallen Officers
While the focus of Go Blue Day is gratitude for current law enforcement officers, NOPJF also remembers those who made the ultimate sacrifice. In 2026, Louisiana’s law enforcement community has mourned the loss of Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputy Timothy David Jordan, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputy Christopher Paul Ohlmeyer, and Deputy U.S. Marshal Michael Andrew Hanson, who was killed while serving a fugitive warrant in Alexandria. Their deaths are a solemn reminder that the men and women who serve our communities continue to put their lives at risk every day.
NOPJF also recognizes the devastating impact of suicide on the law enforcement profession. Suicide is tracked separately from official line-of-duty deaths, and law enforcement organizations have increasingly emphasized officer wellness, peer support, and access to mental-health resources. NOPJF is committed to supporting programs like the NOPD’s Officer Assistance Program (OAP) that promote officer safety, wellness, and resilience and to ensuring that officers know that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. NOPJF honors the families, colleagues and friends of every officer who died in service, whether from a line-of-duty incident or by suicide, and recognizes that their loss is felt throughout the law enforcement community.