Photo by Steve Fernie.

Last week, the Metropolitan Police Department started cracking down on prostitution in the District. Since then, 50 men have been arrested and charged with solicitation of prostitution, with one man charged with pandering.

In the first week of the stings, which started on July 14, the 30 men were arrested—ten on the first night.

“The current enforcement efforts were focused on the ‘customers’ in reverse style operations,” MPD First District Commander Jeff Brown said on a police forum regarding the arrests. “These arrests have made a noticeable difference to the community and the enforcement efforts will continue.”

The most recent round of arrests—all of which have happened in downtown D.C., where the MPD’s Human Trafficking Unit is conducting their sting operations—happened in the overnight hours between Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Seven men were arrested.

The MPD’s prostitution sting operation is ongoing.