MPD Police Commander Responds Candidly to LeDroit Park Community Concerns after Recent Shootings

From the MPD 3D Listserv:

“While we saw a few weeks of calm in the area, the homicide on Sunday night is very alarming to us as well. Our detectives are reviewing cameras from the area, and interviewing witnesses to the shooting. I am hopeful that we will be able to get enough evidence to identify the suspect or suspects responsible for this senseless act, and bring them to justice.

Since these incidents began, we increased our deployment of officers to the area with marked and unmarked units, along with plain clothes officers from other divisions within the MPD. We have deployed our light tower to the area almost nightly, and have conducted patrols with DCHA PD. We have also enlisted the help of our partner agencies, to include the ONSE (Officer of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement).

However, the abundance of illegal guns on our streets is still the primary issue, which we have made our priority. Each of the most recent events all share the same thing: The shooter(s) displayed a reckless disregard for human life by firing weapons on the street. There are far too many illegal guns on our streets. What we need to do collectively as a community is change the narrative that recklessly shooting a gun in public or carrying one is ok. What we need is:

• For individuals to be held in jail when we make arrests for gun offenses.

• For our court system to take gun offenses seriously.

• We need to know when the community sees guns on the street.

• We need for family members to turn in the guns that they find in their houses.

• We need to get these guns off the streets and have the system hold individuals responsible.

• We need mediation in the community to squash these petty disputes between individuals before they escalate to gunfire.

• We need government services and resources for individuals with mental health, substance abuse and employment challenges to work with these individuals so that they don’t feel the need to carry a gun or resort to criminal activity.

My officers and I share the outrage and concern with the community. Nobody should have to live in fear in any neighborhood. We are continuing our efforts in the area and continue to encourage the community to call 911 when they see criminal/suspicious activity afoot.

Thank you again and be safe.

Stuart Emerman

Commander, Third District
Patrol Services North
Metropolitan Police Department”