Troop NOLA and Project NOLA collaboration drive dramatic crime drop in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) -Near the Cabildo in Jackson Square, a group of Louisiana State Troopers monitored multiple camera feeds on a recent Thursday morning.

The footage came from more than 150 crime cameras positioned throughout the French Quarter by Project NOLA, a nonprofit organization.

Bryan Lagarde, the organization's executive director, said Project NOLA operates the "largest, most cost-efficient and successful networked HD crime camera program in America."

Before founding Project NOLA in 2009, Lagarde was involved in various surveillance efforts.

"I was formerly with the New Orleans Police Department, with the district attorney's office. Many years ago, I was one of the people sitting in the hot car, taking pictures of the gangsters and things of that sort, and I realized there had to be a better way of doing things," Lagarde said.

Today, Project NOLA has more than 5,000 cameras installed throughout New Orleans. Some of the cameras use artificial intelligence to control their movements, and others have thermal imaging capabilities.

"When we see something suspicious or we see a crime in progress, we're able to take remote manual control of that camera, zoom in very closely on that particular person. We can see what's in their hands. We can tell the difference between crystal meth, crack cocaine, marijuana. We can look at their waistband to see if there's a bulge, if we can see a little piece of a gun sticking out," Lagarde said while standing in front of a large split-screen monitor.

According to Lagarde, Project NOLA's cameras have aided in numerous cases over the years. One notable instance was in October 2023, when the cameras helped identify the vehicle and suspects involved in the carjacking of Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams.

"We saw the vehicle on our cameras. We saw the people who were in it. We tracked them back to where they lived, and then ultimately Louisiana State Police moved in. They were in charge of the investigation for that one," Lagarde said.

"Our goal is to target the criminals that cause the most damage in the communities and take action against them. Project NOLA gives us the ability to do that," said Capt. Rodney Hyatt, head of Troop NOLA.

Troop NOLA, a specialized unit created this year to assist the understaffed New Orleans Police Department, has been working with Project NOLA since the summer. The unit currently has 18 members, with plans to increase that number to 40 in the coming months, though that remains a relatively small force. Capt. Hyatt said the collaboration with Project NOLA allows them to extend their reach.

"The camera systems actually give us more guardianship over the city, as it allows us to watch crime throughout where we can obviously not be present at all times," Hyatt said.

This partnership and the use of technology have been credited as contributing factors to New Orleans' dramatic crime reduction, which has outpaced many parts of the country. The latest data shows significant declines in crime, including a more than 50% drop in homicides and armed robberies since 2022.

Since Troop NOLA began operating as a unit during Mardi Gras 2024, the team has made 182 arrests, leading to 271 felony charges, 189 misdemeanor charges, 83 fugitive charges, and 126 narcotics-related charges. The unit has also conducted more than 700 traffic stops.

At a time when police recruitment remains low, innovative collaborations like these may be key to maintaining public safety in the future.