GNO, Inc. Sunday Night Highlight:  Crime is Down / Confidence is Up

Three years ago, GNO, Inc. helped form the NOLA Coalition to advocate for the dual goals of creating safety today, and investing in our kids for tomorrow.

Since that time – with credit to many – New Orleans has seen one of the greatest drops in violence in America. Compared to the same year-to-date period for 2022, in 2025

• Homicides are down 68% (132 to 42*)
• Shootings are down 57% (202 to 86)
• Carjackings are down 82% (137 to 25)

In fact, 2025 is on-track to be the least-deadly year in recorded history. This decline is nearly 2 ½ times greater than the national average over the same period.

Reflecting this dramatic improvement, the annual public survey by the New Orleans Crime Coalition has revealed:

• Citizen satisfaction with the New Orleans Police Department went up seven points since last year, increasing from 40% to 47%
• 62% of New Orleanians express satisfaction with the department’s work in their own neighborhoods
• 56% of Black residents, up six points, and 49% of White residents, up 17 points, agree the city is “very” or “fairly” safe
• 84% of New Orleanians say their own neighborhoods are safe

Sources: Metropolitan Crime Commission, NOPD News, New Orleans Crime Coalition

* Excluding 14 1/1/25 terror attack victims

Finally, in support of the second goal of investing in our kids, last week the NOLA Coalition was part of an announcement of nearly $2M invested in the University of New Orleans to rehabilitate recreation facilities so they could be opened to up to 7,000 kids for activities such as such as swimming, baseball, softball, gymnastics, tennis, and soccer. ⚽️

Father’s Day Bonus Highlight – New Orleans Man Takes 2 Million Steps in 30 Days

Xavier University track-and-field coach Kwame Terra has set an unofficial world record in the International Book of Records by walking more than 2 million steps in a month.

“So, I did 2,007,178 steps in 30 days – over 900 miles of walking in 30 days. I walked all over the city about 35 miles per day,” said Terra. He accomplished this feat to raise awareness for maximizing health, especially in the Black community. Terra says that’s why he took his 2-millionth step on Bayou Road in New Orleans, a street lined with Black-owned businesses.

Terra averaged about 66,000 steps per day, and he hopes his story inspires others enough to help him raise $2 million for two million steps to help launch his app called “bEHR Health.”

You can read more about “The Big Stepper” here.