Visitor Safety Statement

Overview

Our number one priority is the safety and wellbeing of our visitors, residents and those who work in the hospitality industry. As one of the world’s most celebrated and iconic destinations for global meetings and conventions, leisure visitors, major cultural festivals and national sporting championships, New Orleans welcomes millions of travelers andcountless corporations and organizations each year. Our cultural authenticity and the fact that we are organically Built to Host result in an unequalled success and travel experience in New Orleans like nowhere else, with every trip and gathering producing a world class memory. 

New Orleans & Company and its hospitality partners flourish with great relationships with the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), which we believe is the best police force in the world at managing citywide, logistically complex events such as Super Bowls, Final Fours, Major Festivals and Mardi Gras. The 2023 Carnival Season was a success. Together with NOPD, we ask visitors to use the same personal safety precautions and to stay vigilant as they would at home or in any metropolitan destination. 

New Orleans & Company partners with and engages the top leadership of the NOPD on all elements, locations and activities of every gathering and convention so they may be available not only to meet and discuss all of a group’s priorities and requirements, but to ensure coverage around convention venues and all areas where specific events are occurring. NOPD creates a deployment plan designed specifically for the needs of that group.

As the International Association of the Chiefs of Police leads a national search for the next NOPD Superintendent, the City is making rapid strides to make New Orleans safer for all. For example: 

2023 Strategic Plan to Combat Crime

On February 2, 2023, NOPD Interim Superintendent Michelle Woodfork announced her Strategic Plan for the NOPD that calls for a change in leadership and culture while remaining focused on the six pillars of 21^st Century Policing: Building Trust & Legitimacy; Policy & Oversight; Technology & Social Media; Community Policing & Crime Reduction; Education & Training; and Officer Safety & Wellness.

In order to align with these objectives, the Strategic Plan outlines three main goals:

·       Improving public safety through partnerships and efficient use of resources

·       Retaining and recruiting officers and creating positive work environments

·       Creating systems that improve efficiency

In addition, the NOPD continues to strive to serve as a nationwide model for Constitutional Policing while partnering with the community to create a safer city by collectively addressing crime and preserving the quality of life for  its residents.
The full strategic plan is available online at this link. 

More Patrol Cars

Since 2021, New Orleans & Company has funded four security patrol vehicles to supplement NOPD patrols in the French Quarter. We now have invested in an additional four vehicles, bringing the total to eight. 

The NOLA Coalition

Formed in 2022, the NOLA Coalition is a diverse collection of over 430 local nonprofits, civic organizations, and businesses with an acute interest in helping to address public safety.  The mission of the NOLA Coalition is to harness our collective resources to create a safer and more prosperous New Orleans for all residents.  The NOLA Coalition supports near-term actions to reduce violence, paired with investment in youth services to drive generational change.  We stand ready to invest – our time, our people, our expertise, and our money – to help make a difference for New Orleans. A report on the coalition’s progress to date can be found at nolacoalition.info/report. 

Additional Security Protocols Underway

• Police patrol on foot as well as motorcycles and Smart Cars throughout the French Quarter, with special attention to Bourbon Street, Royal Street, Chartres Street, Jackson Square and parks
• Police patrol Convention Center Boulevard via patrol cars and Polaris carts
• NOPD officers dressed in fluorescent vests when directing traffic
• Mounted officers on horseback, when needed
• Additional portable light boxes on major cross streets
• Sky Watch towers to increase visibility, observation and police presence during special events
• Enhanced Blue Light Patrol – proactive patrols with off-duty NOPD officers to increase police presence
• All eight (8) districts are on 12-hour shifts

Downtown Public Safety Rangers

The Downtown Development District (DDD) created the Public Safety Ranger program as an integral element of Downtown's public safety network. 

The Public Safety Rangers are a non-commissioned force of safety professionals who patrol Downtown on foot and on bicycle. They act as extra eyes and ears for the police and the DDD. Rangersare customer-friendly and provide visible coverage throughout Downtown.

Visitors Downtown also can utilize the DDD Public Safety Rangers, who are on duty seven days a week from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Downtown SafeWalk escorts are offered free of charge within the Downtown DDD boundaries. 

Call or text 504-415-1730 to check availability.

Common Sense Tips for Visitors to Any Major City

• Travel in groups and avoid walking alone on unlit streets at night.
• Pay attention when walking and using your smart phone as these devices have been the target of thieves nationwide.
• Do not leave your purse, backpack or briefcase unattended, especially not on the back of your chair.
• Be on the lookout for pickpockets. Consolidate your wallet. Don't bring every credit card and move it to your front pocket or/and wear a cross-body bag rather than a shoulder strap to keep your purse in front of you. Do not display large amounts of cash in public places.
• Consider removing your convention badge when leaving your hotel or meeting venue.
• When hailing a ride via a mobile app, confirm the identity of your driver before getting into the car.
• If you are intoxicated, please take a taxi, Uber or Lyft instead of walking or driving.
• Trust your gut instincts. If someone or something seems suspicious, leave the area, alert a police officer or Safety Ranger.
• If approached by strangers for con games, such as, “I bet I can tell you where you got your shoes,” do not participate. Simply smile and walk past them.
• Lock car doors. Stow valuables out of sight in your vehicle.
• Ensure that your hotel room door is fully closed and locked at all times.
• Do not leave your drink unattended or accept drinks from strangers.
• Remember that most laws enforced in your city are enforced here as well.