Audio-enabled Surveillance Cams for New Orleans, like those in Chicago.

Chicago launched a program that installed Surveillance cameras on many street corners, that could watch for crimes, faces that matches mugshot databases, et al. Their program was so successful that it made city-wide crimes their lowest in 40 years!

See article here: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/2005-07-05-electroniccrime_x.htm

They even recently added audio capabilities to these devices so they could detect gunfire (and DOES tell the difference from a car backfiring), and other sounds that share the characteristics of a crime in progress.

Hence, if the NOPD can launch a similar program, the results will have similar rewards for the city. Also, if a city goes through another looting spell for whatever reason, these surveillance boxes will capture many more faces onto digital image or video files and in turn, reduce lawlessness remarkably. There will be less looting (and overall crime) in the first place after security cameras get installed because the news outlets will give a story on them, therefore alert potential looters not to loot whenever an "opportunity" hits, along with anyone else that may commit other future crimes.

These surveillance boxes, by the way, would be powered by a battery backup if the power went out, and the battery would keep recharging whenever the power is on. They should have the most powerful batteries around, so they stay operative for a long time. As a backup to even THAT, solar panels would also work. They can power and recharge in the day, while relegating to batteries at night.

These cams would be mounted atop light-poles and some corner buildings, so they will likely stay out of reach of floodwaters.

Regarding crime's presence after dark, that's why surveillance cams have nightvision also.

The USA Today's statement is valid; the crimes were indeed the lowest in 40 years due to this technology. Faces would be digitally stored so the police can arrest criminals at their own homes, or recognize their faces whenever they see them.

I think these cameras would recognize screams in agony, for help, distress, or otherwise anything needing attention. In turn, that camera would notify the nearest precinct, and dispatch officers to the scene.

And didn't I mention that these cameras would be featured widely on the news? This would cause for the discouragement of would-be criminals. If they have night-vision (which I sure hope they will), the media outlets will feature that too.