Safe

The Downtown Development District utilizes the following services to keep Downtown safe:

NOPD Police Detail

The DDD hires a special contingent of New Orleans Police to pro-actively patrol Downtown. The goal of the police detail is to provide services above and beyond the baseline services of the 8th District. The detail is managed by Lt. Otha Sandifer, an 8th District officer, and is designed to be flexible, focused and accountable.

Flexible - By hiring officers on a detail basis, the DDD's detail manager is able to dial up additional resources as necessary to increase coverage at special times of the year or special times of the day. The detail manager also has the flexibility to task projects that fit each officer's skill set, allowing for the best utilization of available talent.

Focused - With regular 8th District officers handling service calls and other routine police matters, DDD detail officers are free to focus their attentions on Quality of Life issues, community policing, homelessness intervention, or any other issue in need of addressing. Often, a single focused effort can quell a problem before it grows.

Accountable - Officers work the detail at the discretion of the detail manager, and the detail manager works at the discretion of DDD management. This level of accountability at all levels results in a focused and responsive unit.

Detail officers patrol on foot, in cars, on scooters and on horseback. By nature of the flexibility of the program, the officers are not on a routine schedule and should not be called in an emergency. Always call 911 in case of an emergency. If something is a recurring nuisance, but not worthy of calling 911, contact Patrick Thompson, the DDD's Public Safety Manager at (504) 561-8927 x333 or pthompson [at] neworleansdowntown.com.

Public Safety Rangers

In addition to the police patrols, the DDD staffs the Public Safety Rangers, a non-commissioned force of safety professionals who patrol Downtown. Working on foot and on bicycle, the primary purpose of the Public Safety Ranger is to act as eyes and ears for the NOPD. Clad in blue army-style pants and a white police-style shirt, Rangers are easy to spot. Rangers are the "super-citizens" of Downtown and address many of the Quality of Life issues that everyone sees, but isn't sure who to call to remedy the situation.

Rangers are on duty 6 days a week (12 noon - 9pm, Tuesday through Friday and 10am - 7pm, Saturday and Sunday).

Safety Escorts - Rangers are available to escort Downtown residents, workers or visitors to their homes or vehicles. Escorts are available during regularly scheduled shifts by calling (504) 415-1730. Response time is typically 30 minutes depending on staffing levels and current location.

Police Support - The NOPD notifies Rangers of 'hot-spots' of activity. Depending on the issue being addressed, NOPD may ask for additional Ranger support in an effort to deter the behavior, or they may ask for the Rangers to steer clear of an area that they are monitoring to catch a crime in progress. NOPD officers also rely on Rangers for assistance with tourist requests for information.

Medical Support - Rangers are certified in first aid and CPR by the American Red Cross. Bicycle Rangers carry basic first aid kits.

Homeless Outreach - Rangers work closely with service providers and the NOPD Homeless Assistance Collaborative to reach out to homeless and encourage them to accept services and get off the street.

Tourist Services - Rangers actively greet and engage tourists to ensure that they are getting around safely and provide maps and information.

Infrastructure Monitoring - Rangers document infrastructure issues, such as damaged sidewalks, trash cans and street lights to report to the DDD's Public Space department. The Public Space department catalogs these issues and forwards them to the appropriate contractor or city agency.

Business Outreach - When a new business opens Downtown, a Ranger is often the first introduction to the DDD. Rangers document the business, its needs and goals, and forwards the information to the DDD's Economic Development team.

The Downtown Development District safety team has prepared a personal safety presentation for residents, workers and visitors. If you are interested in having the DDD safety team at your meeting, contact Patrick Thompson, DDD Public Safety Manager, at pthompson [at] neworleansdowntown.com or (504) 561-8927 x333.