There’s a popular quote that says, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.”

We will not be safe from stray bullets, driving in our cars, getting gas or simply pulling into our driveways if we do not strategically attack the violent crime and criminals that engulf New Orleans. 

There are a few things our leaders may want to consider.

The New Orleans Police Department can:

1. Ascertain the reasons for the murders, shootings, and carjackings. For instance, are the murders/shootings drug-related, personal beefs, or domestic-related? Are carjackings for joyriding, committing crimes, or harvesting automobile parts? Where are the hot spots in each police district where violent crime is occurring? Because once you find out the why and where, you can then develop a tactical plan to target who is committing the violent crimes in our city.
2. Create a plainclothes unit with unmarked cars to focus on the hot spots in each police district. This plainclothes unit must be legally trained on who to stop and what constitutes reasonable suspicion to stop and detain a person or vehicle. We cannot engage in the failed practices of racially-profiled and random, illegal stop-and-frisks or illegal vehicle searches. These plainclothes officers should wear police insignia, perhaps on a windbreaker. They should be equipped with body cameras and have effective supervisory oversight.

A few things the district attorney’s office may want to consider:

1. Assign assistant district attorneys to work with and train officers, to ensure each and every arrest is based on probable cause that the person arrested is in fact the person who committed the crime, and that the investigation is based on facts, evidence and law sufficient to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
2. Fully utilize the Mental Health Court, Veteran’s Treatment Court, Reentry Court and Drug Courts for nonviolent offenders, to help that person and for accountability.

A few things the mayor’s office can do:

1. Implement a program allowing mental health professionals to respond to crisis calls and bring that person to an outpatient treatment facility. If the person committed a nonviolent offense, work with the district attorney’s office and the Mental Health Court to make sure the person receives treatment and is monitored.
2. Have NORD, the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center and Workforce Development partner with social workers, the schools, art, music nonprofits and Delgado Community College to provide opportunities for job training and career employment for young people.
3. Bring together the City Council, district attorney, judges, public defender’s office, NOPD, sheriff, mental health and drug addiction experts, education officials, nonprofits, social workers, business and religious communities to establish a public safety plan, with benchmarks and performance standards for all stakeholders to fight, prevent and reduce crime. Allocate the necessary city resources and seek federal grants.

These things — cooperation, enforcement, accountability, treatment, and social intervention — must happen simultaneously and be sustainable.

The cynic would say that nothing will get done unless a tourist, celebrity, or luminary becomes the victim of a violent crime.

I say the right people with the right ideas, doing the right thing, will result in solutions, not excuses.

Former Judge Arthur L. Hunter Jr. was a New Orleans police officer. He served in Criminal District Court as Chief Judge, and judge of Mental Health Court, Reentry Court and Veteran’s Treatment Court.