BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Baton Rouge Police Chief Thomas Morse Jr. provided an update on the state of crime and policing in Baton Rouge at the end of 2024, highlighting significant achievements and pressing challenges.
Crime statistics and policing efforts
Morse said the Baton Rouge Police Department responded to over 200,000 calls for service in 2024, underscoring a busy year for the city’s law enforcement. Officers handled 17,000 traffic crashes, made 7,700 arrests—3,800 of which were felonies—recovered 1,000 stolen vehicles, and seized over 1,200 firearms.
Overall crime in Baton Rouge has decreased, with both violent and property crimes dropping by 8.5%. However, homicides rose slightly by 5%, with three more cases recorded in 2024 compared to the previous year. Morse noted a common misconception regarding parish-wide homicide data, which includes cases classified differently from those strictly under BRPD’s jurisdiction.
Juvenile crime and Technology initiatives
BRPD continues to strengthen ties with the community through programs such as the Youth Advisory Council and expanded partnerships with local homeowners’ associations and businesses. The department has added almost 200 license plate readers and security cameras, bolstering investigative capabilities. The ConnectBlue initiative allows residents and businesses to share access to security footage.
“We can’t arrest our way out of all the issues,” the chief said, calling on community organizations to play a more active role in preventing youth violence…