A few weeks ago I met one of the MPD officers who patrols our neighborhood. I only met him briefly. So it was much to my surprise when I was walking down New Hampshire last weekend when I saw about 6 cops and one perp handcuffed on the sidewalk. I thought it would be a good idea to walk by the scene very briskly. Well the MPD officer who I met a few weeks ago was there and he calls out hello. It was really funny. Right in the middle of what looked like a very serious bust, the officer greets my like it is perfectly normal day. Well, much respect to those guys. If we get more new officers patrolling the beat like him we will certainly be moving in the right direction of community policing.
police

I saw a cop positioned right outside the Heights the other evening. I was happy to see him there. So what do you think: Do the new restaurants opening up in Columbia Heights have an arrangement with the Metropolitan Police Department for regular patrols? Have you noticed more police around the Petworth/Columbia Heights night spots?

Maybe Chief Lanier needs to get her officer’s some shirts. Then I would know for sure when I’ve seen community policing in action…
As is the theme in the Prince of Petworth, I absolutely do not advocate doing as I do. So as I have mentioned, my walks home from the metro are sometimes less than pleasant. As such I have taken to preparing myself for my walk home with a little bit of protection and I don’t mean the trojan kind. So from time to time I carry a little something in my back pocket not really so much for defense but psychologically it makes me feel a bit better.
So I was going to a metro stop on the green line with my defense in my back pocket listening to the ipod and feeling good. So of course I’m waiting 12 minutes for the metro to come and I’m oblivious to the world around me. Well, a metro cop walks right up to me and asks if he can talk to me. Of course being the good law abiding citizen that I am, I oblige the officer. He asks me “are you off duty?”. Hmm, I’m thinking I had jury duty once but I have no idea what he is talking about, so I stutter what!? He quickly realizes I’m not a cop which is pretty apt as I look more like an insurance agent. At any rate he says “you know I could arrest you for that in your back pocket”. I say, very innocently, I did not know that. I ask the officer if he would like me to put it in my back pack? He replies no it’s cool just cover it with your shirt – have a good day.
Now, of course I am grateful to the officer for not arresting me but it does make me wonder how much discretion these guys have enforcing the law. Anyway, I shan’t look a gift horse in the mouth. The moral of the story: The Prince of Petworth is one lucky bastard.