The Manhattan Project
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It's been a while, but the Metropolitan Police Department's "All Hands on Deck" initiative is back this weekend. In fact, it started already. From 6 a.m. this morning to 6 a.m. Sunday, every available city police officer will be on patrol. This weekend's initiative is well timed with protests planned for IMF and World Bank meetings, as well as the first really hot weekend we've had all year.
One other thing you may want to keep in mind: with officers out en masse looking to make more arrests and write more tickets today and tomorrow, the MPD's recently announced plan to enforce the D.C. Council's Anti-Littering Amendment Act by aggressively ticketing anyone caught throwing litter out of a vehicle, could be a major factor. Police posted reminders of the new policy to their email lists yesterday:
Starting April 10, 2009, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) will begin a 30-day warning period to alert motorists of the littering violation and associated fines. Following the warning period, police will begin issuing actual Notices of Infraction (NOIs) to motorists caught littering from their vehicles. The fine for a traffic littering violation is $100 per violation.So, we're technically still in the 30-day warning period, but you can bet drivers will be stopped for warnings on this this weekend. And on the 3D email list yesterday, one resident wrote in to clarify whether the enforcement strategy includes cigarette butts. "Yes," was the single-word response from 3rd District Commander George Kucik.
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Cops were ticketing cyclists this morning for blowing through the stop sign at 19th and columbia. That's a nasty intersection. Drivers, cyclists, everyone behaves badly there at the expense of pedestrians. I'm a daily cyclist and I support the cops.....though I might feel differently if I had gotten a ticket.
I'm a cyclist too, and blow through controlled intersections even when cops are there an never get a ticket...I'll be more cautious now that I know they could actually give me a ticket. I guess ticketing cyclists is easier than dealing with the cluster f**k crime area of Champlain and Kalorama.
All hands on deck? Sounds like the prostitutes down at 11th and K are going to have PLENTY of business this weekend!
I normally think efforts like this are misplaced in a city that has such a high violent crime rate... I've unproductfully given an earful to several dc cops for things like getting pulled over going 10 over in the 3rd st. tunnel, i mean seriously?
However, a surreal number of dc residents don't think twice before throwing crap out the window...Though i think PG residents might be some of the main culprits - seems like every day i see a car with MD license plates throw something out on the SW expressway.
I have absolutely no problem with ticketing people who throw trash out their car window, INCLUDING (and maybe especially) cigarette butts. I'm not sure the threat of a ticket is going to deter the people who do this in the first place, but it's certainly better than not trying anything at all.
I drove from Columbia Heights to Dupont Circle at 11am today, and I passed at least four police cars parked on the side of the road. Blocking an entire lane. There was only one lane of travel in each direction, and I'm surprised they didn't ticket me for driving left of center when I passed them.
Is the fine doubled if I throw monkey's butt out the window?
I'm against littering and all, but tutt-tutt, ooh, I don't know. I'm sure this can't end well...
Also I got a ticket for going 40 in a 25 mph zone. Is this really the best use of scarce resources in a city where lovely white women are occasionally disappearing?
I tried to all this to the filthy policeman writing me a ticket, but he just laughed at me.