February 8, 2007
Police Chief Talks to Loganites
D.C.'s new police chief, Cathy Lanier, is busy woman. Last night she told the standing room only crowd at the ANC2F meeting, which serves Logan Circle, some of Shaw, and nearby areas, that she had three meetings with community groups between 6 and 9 p.m. that night. Both frank and funny, the chief answered questions from locals and the ANC commissioners, and frequently cited the need for more police officers. She also discussed increased police visibility, as well as the possible redistribution of officers and the growing graffiti problem.
Police visibility was a main concern for residents. Though Lanier didn't say they were returning to beat patrols, she and other officers mentioned an Adopt-A-Block program, where officers come to a specific block regularly and get to know local residents and business owners. The owner of Candida's World of Books at 14th and Q Streets said she had been robbed numerous times, once at gunpoint in the middle of the day, and hoped for more regular foot patrols. Other locals expressed similar opinions.
Partially in response to this, Lanier and other officers mentioned the department's staffing needs many times. Police service calls, such as calls to 911, burglar alarms, and other similar incidents that require an immediate response "are killing us," she said. Because of the sheer volume of calls, especially in the Third District, it meant that there could be less crime prevention. Lanier has committed to adding 100 officers a year for the next 5 years; because of high turnover, with about 20 officers leaving the department each month, this means adding 30 officers each month.
In response to questions about graffiti, which has been on the rise in the Logan and Shaw areas, she advised people to report it to the city's service center at 202-727-1000 or online. A local resident said that the faster people report the graffiti, the faster it is cleaned up and the less likely the tagger will return. The city will also remove graffiti for free on private property with the owner's permission.
Other residents asked about violent crime, such as the shootings on 5th and 7th Streets and incidents around the Shaw Metro. Lanier noted that a new crime camera has gone up at the Shaw Metro and that she has asked for more ShotSpotter gunshot sensors in those areas. The officers noted that the cameras' tapes are kept for 10 days and they are not monitored continuously. Lanier also said she hoped for more help from businesses and mentioned Atlanta as a model, where businesses paid for crime cameras in the Buckhead nightlife area.
In response to a question about population growth in the Third District and their high crime stats, the Chief could only say that research was underway about population and the best way to distribute officers.
Finally, Lanier also spoke about the low morale in the police force. Some remedies to rectify this are underway, including giving take home cars to officers who live in the District, which The Examiner noted as something officers would like. Lanier brought up the point that officers with desk jobs are now doing a few hours of street work a week, and that the department hopes to bring in more civilians to do administrative jobs, freeing sworn officers to do actual police work. She also said the department will do more to publicize their reserve officer program.
Chief Lanier seemed to answer most questions to everyone's satisfaction, but we'll have to wait to see how many of these new ideas come to fruition and start reducing crime in the city.
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It's funny that they're promoting the Reserve Officer program.
Even though the city needs more police officers, there hasn't been an entry-level reserve officer academy in the TWO YEARS since my application and background investigation were approved.
Hopefully Lanier will work to promote (and correct) this potentially valuable (and economical) program to provide the district with more police officers.
It is amusing to me when we ask police officers to prevent crimes from occurring.
Does anyone ask FEMA to stop hurricanes from occurring ?
Does anyone ask prison guards to stop prisoners from committing crimes and being locked up again ?
If we look at the top 100 reasons crime occurs in a city, the police department would be # 100.
No wonder there is so much turnover in the police department.
In some cities, dogowners have created semi-formal townwatches comprised in large part of dogowners walking back and forth to the neighborhood dogpark.
But that only works in cities that have dogparks.
Bill Zardus
WRZ
Dogpark-National-News
Regarding the crime issue in Logan/Shaw, there is a meeting coming up and a petition available on-line (see details below).
On Wednesday, February 21, 2007, Councilmember Jack Evans will hold a Shaw Anti-Crime Taskforce Meeting. The meeting will take place from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the United House of Prayer, 601 M Street, NW. Mayor Fenty; MPD Chief Lanier; DC agency department heads from the Department of Public Works, District Department of Transportation, Youth Services, and the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs; DC Superior Court Chief Judge Rufus King; and others will be in attendance to discuss crime and answer resident questions.
This site does not allow me to post the link directly to the petition ... so if interested go to anc2c02.com then psa308 then 20070207PSA308petition (available as a .doc or pdf)
I agree with Bill. Jane Jacobs talks about this too. Crime is prevented not so much by police, but by more "eyes on the street". To that end, crime will be reduced by mixed use development, more retail, later hours, dog-walking, town-watches, and anything else that gets more people out on the street.
Think about it this way- Where do you feel safer? On a lively street full of people going about their business, or a desolate street where you're the only soul?
Getting more people on the street creates so-called "positive feedback". People feel safer, encouraging them to be on the street more, which makes other people feel even more safe, encouraging them to be on the street more, etc.
Police are there to deal with and solve crimes when they do occur, not to prevent them.
I think I should mail Cathy Lanier a copy of 'Death and Life of American Cities'.
Oh almost forgot. The graffiti. It pisses me off. It's not cool NY/SF/London/Barcelona style artsy graffiti, that turns blank walls into art. Its GANG tags, scrawled haphazardly on doors, windows, and storefronts.
Its done by the 5&O crew, the 8&R gang, the 9&T gang, and the 7&O crew. These are all gangs in Shaw, fighting over drug territory. They are idiot kids with guns, that have already wounded several people with stray bullets.
Getting a handle on the gangs is an areas where the police can prove themselves useful. These gangs are a threat to everyone's safety, and their vandalism is bringing down the community. In short, they are doing their little part to help destroy the city. I have no sympathy for people who are trying their best to take us steps back, while we are trying so far to take the community forward. Honestly, I hope they all kill each other.
You guys have no clue. Police can have a tremendous impact on crime, through presence, neighborhood involvement, and most importantly enforcement. If someone has reason to believe they can get away with a crime, they are more likely to commit it. And to the extent you put a 'face' to the enforcement of law in a neighborhood, that breeds respect and an understanding that illegal actions will not be tolerated. I can't believe I have to explain this.
Yesterday I spent a lot of the afternoon over in Ward 3 -- Mass Ave./Wisconsin Ave./Cathederal/Mazza Gallery. At about 2:30 I noticed there was a police car on every block along Mass and Wisconsin. Same thing at 4:30 pm.
I haven't seen that many police cars in last 3 months in Columbia Heights/U Street/Logan. Perhaps a redeployment of police to areas where they are needed is in order.
If you want to post links just take off the h t t p : / / part of the link and it will go through just fine.
SoCoHeights - Probably a motorcade coming/going. They'll line up beforehand & then pull out to block traffic.
CDTrave, I hear you. I'm not saying police don't have a place in preventing crime. But I do think that increasing police presence only goes so far. It helps, but the more you invest in more officers, the less safety you get in return on your investment. Law of diminishing returns- economics pure and simple. How do I know? DC has the highest officer per capita of any city in the country. So if more officers made us safer, we should be the safest city in the country. But we're not by a long shot. So there HAS to be other factors...ie gentrification.
Why do I feel safer in Logan than Shaw? Because Logan gentrified several years ago, and Shaw is a work in progress. Why do I feel safer in Georgetown than in Shaw OR Logan? Because Georgetown gentrified in the 1930s. Gentrification is not a dirty word. It means more people, retail, dining, and offices. In short, it means more PEOPLE ON THE STREET at all hours, which is the #1 way to reduce crime.
FYI to document Gang Graffiti, email photos and/or location to Sgt. Andrew Sruhar who heads the non-latino gang unit andrew.struhar@dc.gov
at the PSA 308 meeting last night the police told us Shaw will get the spotshotter technology in 30-90 days. It has a 70% close rate.
since jan 1 there have been roughly 24 incidents of gunfire and about 10 people shot including a 15 yr old girl wounded and a man killed. (Lt. neal was reading the list but he went to fast for me to count..)
Thanks HillRat:
anc2c02. com/psa308 /20070207PSA308peti tion.doc
the petition inludes data on recent violent crimes in the area, as well as, a map indicating their locations.
Chris L: I totally agree. Also, the justice system needs to change so that we get and keep these violent juvenilles off the streets.
Re: Chief Lanier's comments at ANC 2F Meeting on February 7
I live on the border of Dupont Circle and Logan Circle neighborhoods.
A neighbor who attended the Wednesday night meeting said Chief Lanier referred to some sort of "volunteer program" where D.C. residents can do paperwork at the police station -- allowing more police officers to go out on the street.
Excuse me?
First, D.C. taxes are very high--which would be okay if we actually got something for them. Second, there are 34,000 city employees: did it ever occur to anyone to reassign some of them to support the MPD?
Nothing against Chief Lanier -- she inherits a mess. But, I find this volunteer program outrageous, almost obscene.
Are D.C. residents ever going to start demanding something from their city government?
Does anyone else know about this "volunteer program?"
-- Matt
2/10/2007 1:03 PM
I think she was referring to the reserve officer program.
I am concerned about the fact that we have 34,000 -- REPEAT AFTER ME, 34,000 -- city employees and yet the MPD has to use uniformed cops to perform clerical duties. And... ask citizens to volunteer time as part-time bureaucrats.
HELLO! We have one city employee for every 17 residents!
Doesn't this bewilder anyone? Doesn't anyone think this is a rip-off?
The majority of those employees are with the messed up school system. The next largest group belongs to the department of health.
I cant't believe Chief Lanier wants to hire more officers. We have many more cops per capita than any other large city. She needs to address officer retention first. I asked her to speak about the paradox of police complaints. Most complaints are bogus (92% nationally). The most active officers recieve the most complaints while uneffective officers recieve few complaints because they make very few arrests. Cops are often punished for minor reporting errors even when the complaint is unfounded. Our best officers are leaving because they get fed up. We end up with alot of do-nothing cops. She did say that the process has problems but she never answered about what to do with underperforming officers.
I can't believe Cheif Lanier wants more cops! We already have the highest number of cops per capita in the US. We have about 6 per 1000. Next highest is NYC with about 4 per 1000. I asked her about police complaints. The most active officers recieve the most complaints while underperforming officers recieve few complaints because they are not making arrests. Most complaints are bogus (92% nationally). Yet officers are often punished for administrative errors even when the complaints are unfounded. Our best officers are leaving for places where they will be supported for doing their job. We are left with the useless cops. She seemed to think that the process did not serve the officers well but she did not address the problem of underperforming cops.