Crime in DC

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 2:29pm

I was reading this article about crime in DC and someone is going to have to help me here.

"Police are asking Mall visitors to "be our eyes and ears," Fear said. "We're going to ask them to be vigilant."

The first thing that comes to my mind is why can't they step up the police presence on the Mall? Crime in high tourist areas is not a good thing.

The second thing is why do police always say "Citizens have to be our eyes and ears". Like that's really going to deter crime.

It's the same thing here in NYC. They keep saying "Report anything suspicious". I say get your police out and on the streets.

Link

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 2:31pm

Gotham, living in DC myself, I can say it's absolutely ridiculous. So much so, once I get home from work, I tend not to leave my condo.

I wish someone would call for Chief Ramsey's resignation because the fool doesn't know what he's doing. He even replaced an officer for remarks made during a meeting held in Georgetown a couple of nights ago regarding the murder of a British citizen. Yea, that's right, concern yourself with remarks as opposed to getting to the root of crime in the District.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 2:37pm

As a DC neighbor, I totally agree Dottie. Did you see where the Ward 2 citizens are protesting the officer's removal? Good for them.

I go down to the Mall once or twice a month. The police presence there is nil. Unless, of course, they are cleverly disguised as trees. If tourists did 'keep their eyes open' and actually saw something, where would they turn to report what they saw? The local walnut tree?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 2:38pm

"Yea, that's right, concern yourself with remarks as opposed to getting to the root of crime in the District."

And that's my point. They want to get to the root of crime? Either redistribute the police force or get more out on the streets. Am I missing something here?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 2:40pm

There are never enough police on the streets here. The same thing happened in Dupont circle two summers ago. The only time action was taken during that particular crime spree was when a waiter was robbed and subsequently killed on his way home from work. Sadly, these crimes are being committed by people who are relatively young.

Bluemoon, I hadn't heard that. Good for them, especially since no one complained about the remarks to begin with.

Chief Ramsey, get a clue. What an arse!

Updated On: 7/12/06 at 02:40 PM

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 2:41pm

Yikes! I had no idea it was THAT bad.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 2:43pm

DD- there have been several armed robberies on the Mall this summer and 14 homicides in the city since Memorial Day.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 2:44pm

That's one thing I can say about when I lived in Brooklyn. The neighborhood had officers who walked the neighborhood. I never once felt unsafe there.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 2:45pm

Same here in Seattle... I never feel unsafe. I actually only feel unsafe when the cops are around.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 2:45pm

Actually Bluemoon, it's 14 homicides so far this month.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 2:46pm

Yipes - that's even worse - it's only the 12th of July.

[James885]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 3:34pm

I agree, the police presence on the Mall really needs to be stepped up, especially at night. 14 homicides so far this month is ridiculous. And now I wonder what's going to happen now that Ramsey has declared a "crime emergency" for the city.

[Mamie]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 3:39pm

My brother has one daughter and he's never had any problem with me taking her into DC to visit the museums. One Christmas I took her to NY for a 3-day theatre and Christmas visit. He was really stressed about that. I told him that there was so much police presence in NY that I really believed she was safer there than in DC. We went to Times Square and I pointed out the location of ToysRus for her and told her that if we were separated, that's where we'd meet. Then I pointed out the police we could see from this one location - and we counted 12 officers. She was just fine after that!

[Atrias]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 3:42pm

I'm taking the Metro into my theatre program every day. I have a tendency to clutch my bag with a death grip. No one's getting my money!

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 3:43pm

If someone hold you up at gunpoint, Atrias, please give up the bag.

[Atrias]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 3:45pm

I actually thought I'd use my kung-fu skills to knock them out, but if you insist, moony!

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 3:49pm

Why would you be on the Mall at night in the first place? Almost every building is closed and there's nothing commercial (other than the sunglasses guys) to attract people there for any other reason.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 3:52pm

Two of the armed robberies happened in broad daylight.

Gulp.

[James885]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 3:53pm

organeskittles, you'd be surprised at the number of tourists that are out looking at the monuments late at night! Especially around the grounds of the Washington Monument.

Updated On: 7/12/06 at 03:53 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 4:06pm

Mamie,

New York is one of the safest large cities in the US. Violent crime in the city has dropped by 75% in the last twelve years and the murder rate in 2005 was at its lowest level since 1963. In a study of the safest US cities with population with populations larger than 500,000, NYC finished fourth (after San Jose, El Paso and Honolulu).

At the other end of the spectrum, D.C. was the THIRD most dangerous city in the country (after Detroit and Baltimore).

Updated On: 7/12/06 at 04:06 PM

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 4:10pm

As one who lives between DC and Baltimore and visits both frequently......I'm moving to New York. With a winter home in Honolulu.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 4:11pm

Orange... when I lived in DC (not a tourist), I used to love to go with friends to the mall at night. I lived between Dupont and Washington circles, and we'd walk down, see the monuments, chat. If we went to Union Station to see a movie, we'd walk back ON THE MALL. Those are some fond memories.

I guess that would be a no-no these days.

[LionessInWinter]

Posted: 7/12/06 at 8:04pm

That's a shame to hear. The Mall at night is beautiful. Some great picture taking opportunities. I'm supposed to be down there to visit in the next couple of months. Guess I'll make sure not to go on the Mall, at least at night, if at all.