U.S. Capital Declares Crime Emergency

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Washington-Crime.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Police beefed up patrols around national landmarks Wednesday, a day after the District of Columbia's police chief declared a crime emergency in response to a string of violence that included the killing of a British activist.

At least 14 people have been killed in Washington already this month, and in the last 30 days robberies have risen 14 percent and armed assaults have jumped 18 percent. Last year, homicides in the city fell to a 20-year low of 195.

<snip>

Just hours after the declaration, two groups of tourists were robbed at gunpoint on the National Mall, both by men dressed all in black. The U.S. Park Police, who patrol the Mall and are separate from the D.C. police, posted more officers in the area in response.

<snip>

Those killed in the recent violence include British activist Alan Senitt, a volunteer for the potential presidential campaign of former Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner. His throat was slit Sunday in the affluent Georgetown area, and police say his attackers attempted to rape his companion.

[rockymountaindem]

1. Holy cow

Personally, I think the national capital should be the most beautiful and nicest city in a country. I don't understand why we can't fix things in D.C. Maybe some locals can clue me in here.

[bemildred]

2. Holy shit. Roll out the Batmobile. nt

[dubeskin]

3. Maybe if they had more DHS funding...

[Vidar]

5. Fund the police maybe, but don't go through DHS.

[SoCalDem]

4. OR...could it just be that

The Hoity-toity area of DC (Our own Green Zone) is HOGGING all the money, and little or NO money flows to the poorer areas...and hasn't for decades?

You can only ignore people for just so long, until they rise up and remind you that they are still there..and angrier than ever..

[Auntie Bush]

24. Yeah, like they did in France. A little of that might

wake them up.

[applegrove]

6. I don't think having to pay taxes is really the worst thing in Washington.

Or the USA.

You get what you pay for!

[omenapoint]

7. What do they expect in that city?

The city mothers and fathers have left the citizenry defenseless by outlawing the private ownership of handguns and the possession of rifles and shotguns that are not in a disassembled state. Criminals know they are safe. You'd never see anything like this in Atlanta.

[Virginia Dare]

12. Not a problem...

you just go across the Potomac River into Virginia where you can get all the guns you want.

Personally, I'd rather have the cops enforcing the law, that's what we pay them for.

[Solo_in_MD]

15. So you are one of the those who prefers to be a target

rather than being in a position to adequately defend yourself. Your call, but don't blame those of us who refuse to follow you in your folly.

[Virginia Dare]

16. I prefer..

to be neither target nor victim, and act accordingly.

I look both ways before I cross the street too. You can always be in the wrong place at the wrong time, a mack truck might run a redlight and T-bone me at an intersection, but that's the chance you take.

I won't blame you if you don't blame me.

[Posteritatis]

18. Mmmm, false dichotomy. (n/t)

[Selatius]

32. Guns are good for self-defense if there is forewarning, but these...

crimes often don't give you the luxury of a warning.

[Penance]

23. New York does the same

The crime rate here is nothing compared to Atlanta. In 2004 Atlanta was #4 with 1842 violent crimes per 100,000 persons. New York was #138 with 687.4. Washington DC was #31 with 1325.3. For Murder rate, DC was #8 with 35.8, Atlanta was #15 with 26 and NYC was #140 with 7. Gun laws don't seem to have much to do with it.

[gardenista]

27. Oh puleeeeze

:eyes:

[dcfirefighter]

8. There are a thousand reasons

Here are a few:

DC fights crime with cops, not more jobs, better schools, more opportunity.

DC government caters to the very rich and the very poor. There is no middle class in DC.

The social culture in the crime-ridden parts of DC is such that every time, nobody saw nothin'.

DC government has trouble holding employees accountable. Some 20% of MPD (the police department) is on long-term sick leave.

(In response to an above poster) DC taxes NW to spend in SE. There's no doubt about it.

There is no want of social programs in DC. What lacks, is real opportunity. With notable exceptions, DC really fights development. DC is the center of population for a metro area of 6 million, and yet only 550,000 people live there. The mayor set a goal of 100,000 new residents. He missed it. If DC had the density of Boston there'd be 300,000 more. If DC had the density of San Fransisco, it'd have 400,000 more.

The problem is, that in order to move to DC, you have to pay rent. Rent that is collected by the seller if you buy, or the landlord if you rent. This money generally leaves DC. DC should collect that land-rent, or at least a good portion of it. It can't be taken out of the city, like income taxes are. If DC collected a good portion of that rent, the city would be developed, housing would be more affordable, and there'd be plenty of commerce to go around, enough to employ everyone from high-school dropouts to PhD's.

[gardenista]

29. Thank you for your insightful post.

I lived in DC for eight years, during the height of the crack wars, and I'm dismayed to learn that things are heating up again after what seemed like a period of relative calm, at least from my view at a distance.

I wish DC had more people like you running the city government.

[truthisfreedom]

9. Minneapolis is becoming more and more violent as well. constant reports

of muggings from my friends who live in the Uptown area, and extremely popular rental area with lots of shops and bars. it's absolutely scary... muggings where someone is taking out their garbage, they're jumped by 3 guys, beaten, kicked, hit repeatedly in the head, just to steal $75, and that's without putting up a fight.

[NV Whino]

10. Not to panic

they just need a little better direction. It's the other side of the fence, guys. Leave the tourists alone.

[Historic NY]

11. The safest time to be in DC is...........

during "National Police Week" in 2-3 week of May. Lots of cops from all over and 90% are armed. The criminals tend to stay low key since they know if they rob the wrong people, it could be their last time.

[Virginia Dare]

13. Actually,

it seems like you can't spit in downtown D.C. without hitting a law enforcement person of some ilk.

Two problems: One, like an earlier poster stated, the gap between rich and poor in D.C. is astronomic and growing. Two, many formerly rough and borderline neighborhoods have been gentrified. Often times people have a false sense of security. It's never a good idea to be wandering around city streets in the middle of the night if you can possibly help it, even if it "feels" safe.

At any rate, there wasn't any sense of panic or outrage when it was black people getting killed in poor neighborhoods. Now that there have been some black on white crimes in traditionally low crime areas, there is a crisis. Go figure.

[Solo_in_MD]

14. The disarmed populace is easy pickings for violent criminals

Yet no one in DC Government seems capable of understanding that

[Virginia Dare]

17. How do you know the victims were disarmed?

The case in Georgetown the people were bent over getting something out of the trunk of a car and were grabbed from behind by as many as four people. How would they have defended themselves?

The cases on the Mall were similar, they were wondering around a dark area (man and woman), and were jumped by a gang. Not much time to react there.

[Solo_in_MD]

22. When the predators know there is little chance of effective resistance

they grow more bold. Try and get a permit to have a firearm in your home in DC, let alone carry one. They know that there is little chance that they would be met with effective force whomever they accost or whatever home they force their way into. For criminals, DC is a target rich environment.

[muryan]

25. fighting fire

with fire burns everyone involved

[Solo_in_MD]

26. Having the ability to return fire on predators is a good thing

Sadly there are some people in society who care nothing for the safety of others and sanctity of their persons. Being in a position to defend yourself and your loved ones from those people is a good thing. The stats are clear. Armed robbery drops off when concealed carry permits are readily available. The perps look elsewhere.

The problem with the oppressive gun control laws in DC and elsewhere is it removes the ability of people to effectively defend themselves. The rich and powerful already have guns or live in areas where crime is not even a consideration. Carl Rowan anyone? Its the middle class and poor, predominately minorities who are being disarmed. Classism to say the least which hearkens back to the racist roots of gun control in the US.

Personal firearms ownership is a great equalizer among people. Private ownership in many ways helps to check those who would oppress others, be they violent criminals or fat cat power brokers. Liberals and progressives should all be buying guns for the same reason totalitarian regimes confiscate private firearms.

[Selatius]

33. Most criminal incidents don't afford you the luxury of forewarning

If you knew something bad was about to happen, sure, get out your gun, but a mugging is no such case. If anything, going for your gun when the criminal makes the first move will likely get you shot, and on top of that, your gun could be stolen from you.

A better way to fight crime is to fight the root causes of poverty. With opportunities, people are less likely to turn to crime as a way of life.

[Virginia Dare]

34. Link for your stats?

and don't link me to the NRA, please.

[Virginia Dare]

35. I don't believe they were preying on these people...

because they knew they were unarmed. They were preying on them because they knew that there was a false sense of security in those areas. You might have the same false sense of security walking around with a gun in your pocket. It simply is not good sense to go leisurely strolling around any urban area at 2:00 in morning, armed or not, and there should be adequate police protection in those areas, where it is known that tourists may be out strolling after dark.

[High Plains]

19. What is the sound of one ax grinding?

[saigon68]

21. Only the IMPORTANT PEOPLE have body guards and guns in DC

That place is a cess pool.

[Just Me]

20. Gee, violence has increased under this administration. Go figure.

"Bring it on" the chimp said. The neocons and their marketeer, Rove, roll all their dice in divisiveness and barabarianism and hatred and destruction. They are a human disease.

Vaccinate, immediately.

That's all I can say.

[EFerrari]

31. This is the most honest reporting to come out of DC since

the Supremes selected Junior.

And doesn't it make you go, Duh!

[killbotfactory]

28. I suppose it's an emergency anytime crime spills out of the poor areas

Otherwise, it's business as usual.

[gardenista]

30. Bingo.