Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) GranteeCity of New Orleans, New Orleans Police Department (Louisiana)

In FY2015, SAKI awarded the City of New Orleans, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) a grant for $1,058,214, which they have used to inventory unsubmitted sexual assault kits (SAKs); upgrade their evidence tracking system; and analyze and develop new policies, procedures, and protocols for submissions/tracking, investigations, and prosecutions. NOPD has also used funding to support a SAK hotline and hire a site coordinator, justice advocate, and civilian personnel. Additionally, the city received a supplemental SAKI award for $653,395 in FY2016 to continue efforts initiated under their FY2015 award.

To date, the City of New Orleans, NOPD, has met several milestones and achievements through their sexual assault reform program, including the following:

• Enhanced their sexual assault response team by creating a subcommittee to focus on sexual assault in transient populations; the Transient Committee works to develop programs and policies for the most vulnerable survivors—including tourists, students, and military personnel. Survivors who are homeless or have a difficult immigrant status are also vulnerable.
• Attended a multidisciplinary 2-day workshop for 35 participants across the jurisdiction in June 2017; the SAKI Training and Technical Assistance team conducted this training.
• Submitted all SAKs for testing; as of March 2019 results have returned from 39 SAKs—with 1 Combined DNA Index System hit linked to a homicide. NOPD's Cold Case Unit is actively working the case, along with support from NOPD social workers and SAKI staff.
• Indicted a multi-jurisdictional rapist for five counts of rape and five counts of kidnapping; his DNA hit to five cases in Los Angeles (2015 to 2018) and three cases in Missouri (2004 to 2005).
• Began engaging with the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office (OPDA) SAKI team in an ongoing assessment and mapping of the response to sexual assault cases; all agencies with multidisciplinary teams have been involved in these activities.
• Crafted a resource brochure for sexual assault victims in conjunction with OPDA (see link below)
• The New Orleans SAKI Multidisciplinary Team has created this great resource for survivors.

For more information on the specific SAKI awards for this site, see the table below.

City of New Orleans, New Orleans Police Department Funding

Year	Amount	Purpose Area
FY2015	$1,058,214	Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits
FY2016 - supplemental award	$653,395	Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits

Please direct all media inquiries to:

Detective Robert Long
rlong@nola.gov
504-655-1045

To learn more about the City of New Orleans, NOPD's progress, read the following news and events.

News and Events

New Orleans City Council approves to clear sexual assault kit backlog
— WDSU6, Apr 7, 2023
"New Orleans City Council has unanimously approved an agreement that will clear the state's sexual assault kit backlog within the next two years. The Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) is the result of District B Councilmember Lesli Harris’ push to include $3 million in the annual budget, specifically to eliminate the backlog of kits and other unprocessed DNA evidence from New Orleans crimes."

NOPD arrest man for multiple sexual assault crimes dating back to 1993
— Gabii King, WDSU, Aug 13, 2021
DNA evidence leads to arrest of suspect accused of three sexual assault incidents dating back to 1993.

LaPlace man pleads guilty to 2 rapes in New Orleans, extending prison stay
— Matt Sledge, Nola.com, Jul 16, 2019
Man who had already received a 12-year sentence for a sexual assault in St. John the Baptist Parish pleaded guilty to two rapes in New Orleans linked to him by DNA evidence

Accused serial rapist indicted for 5 New Orleans kidnappings, rapes
— Nicole Mumphrey, Fox 8, Mar 21, 2019
A New Orleans serial rapist has been indicted and charged with five counts of aggravated/first-degree rape and 5 counts of kidnapping due to DNA evidence found in previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits tested and investigated through their SAKI grant.

Man serving life sentence for rape indicted in 2 cold case assaults
— Heather Nolan, nola.com, Dec 13, 2018
DNA from two previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits produced a DNA match in CODIS for a man who was already serving time in prison for two other sexual assaults.

Man sentenced to 40 years for kidnapping, rape
— Fox 8, Nov 20, 2018
DNA evidence found from a previously unsubmitted sexual assault kit from 2006 that was tested using SAKI funds, leds to a conviction.

DNA links man to 1996 rape in the Irish Channel: DA
— Heather Nolan, nola.com, Oct 12, 2018
DNA results have linked a 45-year-old man to a 1996 sexual assault in the Irish Channel.

Jailed man charged in 2nd 1994 New Orleans abduction,rape
— WBRZ, Aug 24, 2018
A New Orleans man has been re-indicted after DNA evidence links him to a second abduction and rape in 1994. Screen reader support enabled.

DNA links La. inmate to 1988 New Orleans rape: DA
— Heather Nolan, The Times-Picayune, Jul 12, 2018
A Louisiana man currently serving time for attempted rape has been linked via DNA to a 30-year-old rape case in New Orleans.

6 women were kidnapped and raped in New Orleans in the 1980s. The accused attacker was just charged
— Emily Lane, The Times-Picayune, Mar 22, 2018
Through the work of the New Orleans Sexual Assault Kit Initiative unit, a man was indicted for the kidnapping and rape of six women from more than 30 years ago.

La. inmate indicted in 2 cold case rapes in New Orleans
— Heather Nolan, The Times-Picayune, Mar 22, 2018
A man already serving time for a 2012 sexual assault conviction has been indicted by New Orleans District Attorney’s Office in two previously unsolved rape cases.

Webinar: Reforming Sexual Assault Response in New Orleans
— SAKI TTA, Oct 27, 2016
The New Orleans Police Department, in collaboration with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, presented a webinar on the importance of law enforcement leadership and multi-disciplinary partnerships in creating a positive response to sexual assault. Commander Doug Eckert from the New Orleans Police Department discussed how the leadership within the department changed policies and procedures to create a better response to sexual assault. To learn more register and watch the full webinar.