NEW ORLEANS — The 15th annual NOPD Citizen Satisfaction Survey, commissioned by the New Orleans Crime Coalition, shows a notable increase in overall satisfaction with the New Orleans Police Department. Satisfaction rose to 40%, up from 31% last year which was the lowest rating received by the NOPD since the survey began in 2009.
This year’s survey, conducted by Faucheux Strategies, took place from May 29 to June 4. It tracks key metrics on residents’ perceptions of the NOPD through live telephone interviews with a representative sample of 800 New Orleans adults. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 3.46%.
Key Findings
- The survey shows a 9-point increase in overall satisfaction with the NOPD; this improvement is confined to the “somewhat satisfied” category. The “very satisfied” category decreased by one point, indicating that the rating increase is somewhat soft and needs strengthening.
- Differences among key demographics, including age, gender, and race, have widened. The satisfaction rating among Black residents increased by 12 points from last year, from 34% to 46%, while the rating among White residents rose by 7 points, from 25% to 32%.
- Perceptions of safety in New Orleans vary significantly among demographic groups. Among those who believe the city is safe, the racial gap is 18 points (50% of Black respondents vs. 32% of White respondents), and the gender gap is 19 points (54% of men vs. 34% of women).
- 39% of residents aged 18-44 years old perceived New Orleans as either “very or fairly safe” versus 46% aged 45 and older, a 7-point difference.
- Residents’ perception of their neighborhood’s safety is much stronger than their perception of the entire city’s safety (84% vs. 43%).
“While we have seen an improvement in the overall satisfaction with the NOPD, there is still room for improvement in the public perception,” said Ron Faucheux, CEO of Faucheux Strategies.
A large majority of residents, between 62% to 92%, support various proposals aimed at reducing crime. These include measures related to investigations, manpower, police pay, social and counseling programs, tracking crime suspects, use of computer analytics, camera technology, and facial recognition. Since last year, support rose the most for computer analytics (80% of Black respondents vs. 86% of White respondents) as ways to reduce crime.
Since 2009, the NOCC has independently surveyed residents about their views on the NOPD to highlight areas needing improvement, encourage positive reforms within the department, foster trust between the community and law enforcement, and enhance public safety in New Orleans.
The 2024 NOPD Citizen Satisfaction Survey was funded by The Greater New Orleans Foundation, GNO, Inc., and the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region.
The survey was executed by trained professional telephone interviewers under the supervision of Ron Faucheux. This independent and nonpartisan survey firm operates out of New Orleans and Washington, D.C. and has no affiliations with the City of New Orleans government or the NOPD.
To access the full analysis of the 2024 NOPD Citizen Satisfaction Survey, visit https://www.neworleanscrimecoalition.org/.
Since 2022, the survey has included additional questions about policymaking and issue priorities, with results set to be published on Wednesday, June 12, on the New Orleans Crime Coalition website.
Members of the New Orleans Crime Coalition include The Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region, Common Good, Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans, Urban League of Greater New Orleans, Crimestoppers, Metropolitan Crime Commission, New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation, Young Leadership Council, Bridge House, New Orleans & Company, Court Watch NOLA, Youth Empowerment Project and the New Orleans Family Justice Center.
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