police

Photo by PoPville flickr user KJinDC

Dear PoPville,

Last Thursday around 5:30pm, I was waiting to park my car at 13th and Q Streets NW. I had just turned my hazards on and was anxiously awaiting traffic to pass so that I could cut into the parking spot. As soon as traffic abated, I backed into the spot and then I began rounding up my belongings to ensure that no one would bust out a window while my car was parked overnight, I noticed that there were streaks of a black viscous substance on my driver’s side window. I got out and inspected the damage: someone had flung pudding at the driver’s side of my car while I was waiting to park. I was floored – why would someone do that to me? Why would someone deliberately throw pudding of all things at my car when I was patiently waiting for traffic to pass while my emergency flashers were engaged?

I got out of the car, inspected the damage and popped open my trunk. I rooted around and uncovered an old t-shirt – which I used to wipe the pudding off of my car. As soon as I had cleaned it off the best I could (black streaks were still quite abundant), I proceeded to grab my sunglasses from my car and leave; however I was immediately blocked in by a grey Chevrolet Malibu. Three plain-clothes police officers stepped out of the vehicle and identified themselves as the Vice unit of the MPD. They stated that they had witnessed a car drive by and fling pudding at my vehicle and that they had stopped the occupants a block away.

MPD stated that they witnessed the passenger of the vehicle throw the pudding at my car. When MPD asked the man why he would do such a thing, he replied: “I was just playing a prank on my friend.” The police had the passenger in question walk up to my car for me to identify him. To no one’s surprise, I had never seen this scared-looking mid-twenties man before in my life. The police then asked me what I would want to happen to the pudding slinger and noted that they could easily take the man to jail.

I let the police know that a fine or stern warning seemed more in line with the crime and the last thing I wanted to do was to burden an understaffed and ineffective legal system.The police then asked me how much a car wash would cost – I told them $12-15. The police stated that the suspect was going to pay to have my car washed and they instructed the man to walk up to my passenger side window to apologize and hand me money. The man apologized and from the look on his face, I didn’t think that he was going to sling pudding any time soon. He handed me a wad of cash – which came out to be $30. I protested to the police that this was more than a wash would cost and they told me to go wash my car and tip the attendant as well. The police left and that was the conclusion of my experience with them.

Photo by PoPville flickr user KJinDC

From MPD:

On Saturday April 7, 2012, at approximately 2:09 a.m. a gentleman complainant was assaulted and robbed in the 2100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Two suspects robbed the victim of currency and a cellular phone. Fortunately the complainant suffered non-life threatening injuries. The suspects fled on foot. Suspects matching the lookout were stopped a short while/ distance letter and consequently charged with robbery force and violence. A 28 year old male from Forestville, Maryland and a 27 year male from NE Washington, D.C. were arrested.

On Sunday April 8, 2012, at approximately 11:20 p.m. a gentlewoman complainant was robbed at gun point in the 2600 block of Woodley Place NW. The suspect obtained personal property. The complainant was not physically hurt. The suspect fled on foot and made good his escape. Through investigation and communication with the Montgomery County Police Department, a viable suspect has been identified (about 2 hours later). The great ongoing communication and partnership has helped to develop strong leads that will hopefully lead to an arrest in the near future.

MPD tweets the photo above and writes:

“MPD arrests driver whose license is revoked. Stopped for blocking crosswalk while on phone”

This surely vaults @DCPoliceDept past the formerly awesome @dcfireems.

Yesterday a reader tweeted to @PoPVille that he thought there was a bank robbery in NoMa which leads to a pretty cool Props to the Cops:

Most police officers go through an entire 25 year career without arresting a bank robber.

At noon today, Captain Marvin Lyons and Sergeant Randy Griffin, both of the Fifth District, were in the 1200 block of 1st St., NE when a man walking nearby suddenly had the backpack in this hand explode in red paint–the dye pack an alert teller had inserted into the robber’s bag along with the cash.

Capt. Lyons and Sgt. Griffin were able to subdue the suspect and arrest the man, who had just robbed the TD Bank across the street.

Streets in the nearby area were closed until 2:30 as we examined the getaway bag and a bag inside the bank that the robber had left behind.

We are happy to report that the quick actions of these two officers put a dramatic finish to the bank robbery, and their actions are certainly worthy of high praise.

Photo by PoPville flickr user KJinDC

From MPD:

On March 21, 2012, at about 10 PM, a citizen was walking in the 3900 block of 14th Street NW, when a subject grabbed him and pushed him up against a building and attempted to take his property from his body and his hand. As this was happening, two of our own Fourth District members, Lt. John Haines and Joseph LaFrance, were off-duty in the area and quickly intervened before the victim could be seriously hurt or any property could be taken.

The suspect was only able to obtain the victim’s cigarettes from his hand and then drop it. And the victim was not seriously injured. An adult male was arrested for Robbery Force and Violence.

Congratulations go out to the Fourth District Members John Haines and Joseph LaFrance for their hard work and dedication to the job in keeping the citizens of the District safe!

Photo by PoPville flickr user KJinDC

From MPD:

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Departments Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in the fatal shooting which occurred in the 1000 block of Taylor Street, NE.

On Monday, December 19, 2011, at approximately 5:54 pm units from the Fourth District responded to a call for a shooting in the 1000 block of Taylor Street, NE. Upon arrival, they located the victim, an adult male, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local area hospital. The victim later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent is identified as 19-year-old Derrick Ragland of Northwest, Washington DC.

On Tuesday, March 13, 2012 26-year-old Raymond Faunteroy, of Northeast, Washington DC, was arrested in Arlington County, VA pursuant to a DC Superior Court arrest warrant.

On Tuesday, March 20, 2012 Mr. Faunteroy was returned to the District of Columbia and formally charged with First Degree Murder while Armed for the shooting death of Derrick Ragland.

Photo by PoPville flickr user KJinDC

From MPD over the weekend:

“This afternoon at approximately 3:45 pm a suspect was arrested for Robbery in the 700 block of Pennsylvania Ave SE as part of a MPD Robbery Decoy Operation. Two months ago Chief Lanier initiated a city-wide plan to address the rise in robberies. This plan includes deployment of patrol officers, the investigation of suspects (including those who traffic in stolen property) and several tactical operation, such as decoy operations. The initial deployment of MPD decoys were done confidentially; however, with the progression of the operations we will from time to time identify those arrests which are the result of a police decoy operation.

I would like to acknowledge and thank the selfless of officers who assume the undercover roles in the operations”

and

“At 2:45 PM, a robbery knife occurred in the 700 block of Columbia Road, Northwest.

Several officers on patrol were nearby the scene and observed the suspects fleeing.

The officers gave chase on foot and apprehended three suspects.

All three suspects have been arrested and charged with Robbery. The victim of this robbery was not injured.”

and

“Tonight at approximately 10:30 PM the Third District Crime Suppression Team made contact with two subjects in the 2600 block of 14 St NW.

Subsequent to the stop a hand gun was recovered from one subject and drugs were recovered from the second subject.”

Third District Commander Jacob Kishter

This is pretty awesome. 3D Commander Jacob Kishter sent an email to the 3D listserv:

“At 1200 PM, a robbery snatch occurred at 12th and Vermont Streets, Northwest. A nearby officer on patrol observed the robbery and gave chase on foot. The subject was apprehended a short distance later and the victim’s property was returned, she was unharmed.”

Chief Groomes replied to the message:

“I want to add that it was 3ds commander…jake kishter who apprehended this felon. Kudos to him and his team.”

Awesome!

Photo by PoPville flickr user KJinDC

From MPD:

On Tuesday, March 6, 2012, at approximately 12:49 am, a Third District midnight officer was patrolling the alley in the 700 block of Irving Street, NW. The officer observed a suspicious person in the alley and proceeded to investigate further. Upon observing the officer, the person ran from the officer but was stopped in the next block. The person was caught in possession of a bag containing items commonly used to deface public and private properties. During investigation, police discovered that suspect had made graffiti marks on privately owned buildings. Police arrested the adult suspect and charged him with Destroying/Defacing Private Property.

This arrest is significant in that business owners and residents had recently reported a number of “tagging” incidents in and around the Pleasant Plains and Parkview neighborhoods and we trust that this investigation will help reduce graffiti in our communities.