DC Government

From the Shaw listserv after the latest shooting on O Street last night:

“The mayor has failed to address the surge in crime in many neighborhoods across the city. While other cities have had it far worse it’s extremely distressing that small areas of our city continue to be a problem year after year to the point where I hope for evening downpours to drive the criminal element inside thus reducing the chances of violence. The mayor needs to demand action by her agency leaders and call a meeting with prosecutors to discuss lenient sentences and lack of prosecution of violent arrestees. MPD can lock them up but violent offenders need to stay behind bars.

There was a discussion about additional lighting and cameras at the rec months ago and we are still waiting. These are not complicated fixes. The park rangers can’t even be troubled to pick up a piece of trash when walking because it’s become accepted that some of our parks are models for the broken windows theory.

There are also members of the community who know who are responsible for these crimes but they keep quiet due to fear or being known as a snitch. Until the community as a whole reaches a tipping point of no longer accepting the culture of violence our challenges will persist.

I encourage all to call 911 any time even petty crime is witnessed, be it possession of an open container of alcohol, illegal gambling “dice,” public pot smoking, public urination etc as these issues often lead to bigger issues and also lend themselves to what appears to be a culture of acceptance by some of petty crime around the greater area of Kennedy Rec. The more calls for service PSA 308 gets, the higher the likelihood of more officers becoming permanently assigned to the PSA.

Charlie Bengel
Commissioner
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2F06
Chair, Logan Circle ANC Public Safety Committee”

From MPD:

“Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are continuing to investigate the death of a male who was discovered in the Anacostia River underneath the Benning Road Bridge, on Friday, July 3, 2015, at approximately 7:30 am. The Harbor Unit recovered the body in the 2600 block of Benning Road Northeast. The decedent was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, pending an autopsy. At this time, there are no signs of foul play.

The decedent has been identified as 16 year-old Oludumare Obasule Olushhola Ayodeji of District Heights, MD.

The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.”

From the Office of Human Rights:

“End the Awkward” is a one-day campaign on July 15, 2015 in the District of Columbia that empowers businesses and the public to share information about people with disabilities, and to take a pledge to raise awareness and better understand disability issues. Individuals and businesses who registered for the campaign before July 8 have committed to wearing an “End the Awkward” pin (at right) on July 15 and to learn a few short tips we provide about respectful ways to interact with people with disabilities. When people see the pin and ask how to “end the awkward,” paricipants will simply recite one of the talking points. It’s that easy, and together we will reach thousands of people!

Learn more about the District’s “End the Awkward” campaign and read tips to “end the awkward” here.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Eric P.

“Dear Popville,

This evening (Sunday, July 12th) I heard an ambulance coming down the 1400 block of Quincy Street NW (where Lyman’s Tavern is now located). This was surprising considering it is a quasi-dead end that turns into an alley way behind some co-ops and between Rock Creek Park. The ambulance passed the point of no return and went into the alley, which is a clear difference from the street as its cement and poorly maintained (as if the streets aren’t as well). The ambulance got all the way to the end where there is a sharp left turn that would bring you out to Spring Road NW and it stopped. The driver threw it into reverse and what ensued was 8 minutes of the ambulance backing down the alley – all the way back to Quincy street, then backing down Quincy because cars are on both sides until it came to the alley right behind Lyman’s, turned around, turned its light and siren back on and kept on its merry way to the emergency call.

The entire time I kept thinking, surely they radioed back to central control to let them know they were delayed and another ambulance should be dispatched. However, once I heard the sirens being turned back on and heard them turn onto 14th Street and then onto Spring Road I was flabbergasted that whomever was waiting for the emergency services just had their wait time extended due to incompetence. (more…)