NEW ORLEANS(AP) — Crime statistics for 2008 released Friday by the New Orleans Police Department show a dramatic drop in all categories of crime in the city except for auto theft, which had an increase of less than 1 percent.

Total crime for the year, compared with 2007, dropped by 6.76 percent. Murder was down almost 15 percent, rape 44 percent and armed robbery 4.85 percent.

New Orleans had 210 murders in 2007, earning it the title of murder capital of the country. That number dropped to 179 in 2008, the latest statistics show.

On a per capita basis, police statistics show there was a 24 percent drop in overall crime and a 22 percent decline in murder. Those stats are based on a population of 299,299 for 2007 and 326,504 for 2008.

‘‘I commend the police department for these numbers,’’ said Rafael Goyeneche, executive director of the crime watchdog group, Metropolitan Crime Commission of Greater New Orleans. ‘‘Obviously they are doing something right to see this kind of drop.’’

In the fourth quarter of 2008, murder dropped almost 45 percent per capita, compared to 2007. There were also big per capita drops during that period in rape (49 percent), armed robbery (13 percent), simple robbery (23 percent) and assault (39 percent).

The year end figures showing the drop in crime follow the claim by police Superintendent Warren Riley that the French Quarter is safer now than before Hurricane Katrina. Riley made the statements as he sought to calm concerns about crime in the popular tourist area after a woman was recently killed in an apparent attempted robbery.

‘‘There has not been this major increase in crime in the French Quarter as people continue to say,’’ Riley said Thursday.

Statistics provided by the department showed total reported crime in the area lower than before Katrina struck Aug. 29, 2005.

The perception of danger, the high murder rate, and the use of guns by criminals, has led to several citizens efforts against crime since the storm.

Riley said Thursday that the city is preparing for the National Guard to pull out for good at the end of February. The Guard has been a constant presence in the city for more than 2 1/2 years, helping with patrols in less-populated areas so police can focus on curbing violent crime.

‘‘These are good number and I am delighted to see them but may be premature to declare victory at this time,’’ Goyeneche said of the latest statistics. ‘‘At the end of the day, if we’re going to get ahead and maintain this lead we need to maximize our most precious resource — manpower. And we need to make sure arrests lead to convictions.’’