Violent Crime Abatement Investigation Team (VCAIT)

Award Application

January 1st – VCAIT Detectives assisted in the terror attack investigation.  VCAIT Detectives located the target of the investigation on cameras and backtracked his movements, which assisted in the investigation.  VCAIT Detectives also begin conducting surveillance at several locations associated with the incident.  

Mardi Gras 2025 – VCAIT detectives located a vehicle that was used in a homicide the day prior.  VCAIT detectives conducted surveillance on the vehicle and observed 2 masked armed subjects enter.  The subjects were masked up and gloved up and headed towards the St. Charles parade route.  VCAIT Detectives were able to coordinate with other officers to stop the vehicle.  After a short foot pursuit, the subjects were apprehended, and two firearms were confiscated.  One of the firearms was confirmed as the weapon used in the homicide. 

Orleans Parish Justice Center Escapees – VCAIT Detectives work tirelessly, assisting in locating the 10 inmates that escaped.  VCAIT Detectives conducted hours of surveillance throughout the day and night and authored over 60 investigative search warrants.  

Rolling 30s Gang Investigation – The investigation started with a reported kidnapping VCAIT investigated.  VCAIT Detectives were able to locate the victim and return him to his family.  During the investigation, VCAIT Detectives identified two kidnapping suspects and were able to locate and arrest them on the kidnapping charges.  Through that investigation, VCAIT Detectives were able to tie the two suspects to two additional armed robberies that occurred in the Seventh District.  The VCAIT Detectives continued the investigation and learned the subjects were part of a well-known Honduran gang based in New York.   VCAIT Detectives identified three additional members who were involved in carjackings, armed robberies, and shooting incidents.   VCAIT Detectives started supplying federal investigators with the information.  After several months, 28 subjects were arrested on charges that vary from shootings and armed robberies to weapons violations and possession of stolen property.  The case is being prosecuted at the federal level. 

VCAIT Detective assisted the NOPD Homicide division in numerous homicide investigations.  VCAIT located and conducted surveillance on several vehicles used to facilitate the homicides.  Locating those vehicles led to the identification of several homicide subjects and the collection of crucial evidence in the cases. 

VCAIT Detectives are often called upon by District Detectives to assist in shootings, armed robberies, armed carjackings, and other violent crimes.  VCAIT Detectives have assisted in locating and identifying numerous identified and unidentified suspects.  VCAIT Detectives conduct surveillance of the suspects and gather essential information such as their associates, vehicles used in crimes, patterns of movements, and residential addresses to assist the district detectives in the investigation. 

When the VCAIT unit is not assisting the NOPD Homicide unit and district detectives, they conduct their own independent investigations on targeted violent offenders.  In 2025, the NOPD VCAIT unit conducted 23 independent investigations separate from the above-listed incidents.  VCAIT Detectives seized a significant amount of narcotics and firearms during their investigations.  The information listed below is the result of those 23 investigations. 

10 – Federal indictments

96 – Seized firearms

6 – Machine gun conversion devices (switches) 

32 – Arrest warrants

94 – Vehicle and residential search warrants

32 – Seizures warrants

260 – Additional investigative search warrants