Read on Twitter
1/ Watching CM Todd's Public Safety meeting this morning. Will tweet notes.
2/ First thing CM Todd has requested increased patrols from MPD. Reminder that this has been one of the only things we have been doing for years and it hasn't been effective: https://twitter.com/ANCJonah/status/1253011051379142656
3/ CM Todd continues to state he will only support ONSE violence interrupters in Ward 4 and won't mention the Cure the Streets violence interrupter team requested by ANC 4C. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wYpt-v4kKpNY7r9w2nPvjAz7Fza9PNkbvUL5-9jQUn4/edit?usp=sharing
4/ CM Todd says he will support the "expansion of violence interrupters already in Ward 4" (paraphrase) but isn't saying if this means bringing violence interrupters to Petworth. This is an important question that he won't answer directly.
5/ Violence interrupters in Ward 4 currently only work in the Kennedy St corridor. They do not do work closer to the Metro like 8th and Upshur, Georgia and Quincy, 8th and Quincy, 4th and Taylor, where we are seeing repeat shootings.
6/ To clarify one statement CM Todd made at the beginning: there are Commissioners from all five Commissions on this call. We are not participating in any way other than watching. We were asked to "co-host" as entire Commissions but not given any option to participate.
7/ Chief Newsham "the number one reasons for shootings and violent crime continuing is a failure of the criminal justice system to deal with gun offenders. There are a lot of people" (paraphrase).
This likely lays blame on federal US Attorneys Office who prosecute DC gun crime.
This likely lays blame on federal US Attorneys Office who prosecute DC gun crime.
8/ Sorry for the random cut off sentence in the last tweet. There wasn't more to that sentence "there are a lot of people." I should have just cut it but trying to cover this in real time. Will likely be more mistakes.
9/ Good clarification from ANC 4B Commissioner that they weren't invited to this despite CM Todd's statement at the beginning: https://twitter.com/Erinfor4B02/status/1266735579548565506
10/ Also, to the ANC "co-host" comment I made in #6. Both ANC 4C and 4D turned down the request and are not co-hosting. We weren't given enough time to prepare, send notice, or be allowed to participate.
11/ Patrol Chief Greene says 24 violent crimes in Petworth community this year vs 28 this time last year. Talking about how we are actually seeing a decrease in violent crime. Not how I would respond. It is an interesting approach because this isn't all gun violence.
12/ What we need to know from MPD stats is how do shots fired & shootings compare this year to last. We know of 22 shots fired or gun shots since just March 1 so saying there are only "24 violent crimes" is misleading by using technical terminology that is correct but different.
13/ Reminder these are the questions and requests we should be talking about on this call but aren't. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jv8ZpFGkKD6hnHPHxMRuN_wtwrMFL8QvRCNHh-kzeT8/edit#heading=h.nttxmz55xx0m
14/ Because we don't consider someone shooting at someone else but missing a violent crime they don't appear in these statistics or daily crime reports. This is also why the comparison of violent crime year to year is tremendously misleading
Do you feel safer this year vs last?
Do you feel safer this year vs last?
15/ We have now shifted to updates about people having parties during COVID. Unsure if that was the entire gun violence portion of the meeting or if we will come back.
16/ Q&A time
Q: Does police presence actually deter crime?
A: (Audio issues) MPD talking about opportunities to engage with neighbors like block parties.
No real answer about increased presence deterring crime. What we know is yes a patrol car deters it momentarily.
Q: Does police presence actually deter crime?
A: (Audio issues) MPD talking about opportunities to engage with neighbors like block parties.
No real answer about increased presence deterring crime. What we know is yes a patrol car deters it momentarily.
17/ (continued) MPD though has told us numerous times in their own meetings that parked cars or increased patrols in hot spots just move the crime over a few blocks but doesn't stop it.
18/ Update from Petworth Action Committee offering help to the community. I have never interacted with the group. Not sure what they do. Unsure why they were invited as panelists instead of ANC Commissioners, but can guess.
19/ Q: Are we doing anything to stop fireworks because they seem indistinguishable from gun shots?
A: MPD inspecting fireworks stands. MPD will patrol alleys and confiscate some. Will try our best to "tamper it down this year."
A: MPD inspecting fireworks stands. MPD will patrol alleys and confiscate some. Will try our best to "tamper it down this year."
20/ Q: Violence interrupters (VIs) being operational during COVID-19?
A: CM Todd says they stopped a party that was planned.
DM Donahue talking about how VIs work behind closed doors and are not publicly seen. Dramatically effected by COVID.
A: CM Todd says they stopped a party that was planned.
DM Donahue talking about how VIs work behind closed doors and are not publicly seen. Dramatically effected by COVID.
21/ I really think we are done with the gun violence part of this meeting. I genuinely don't think we are going to hear anything new or any new plans. We will ask for more patrols. That is it.
22/ Q: What is done about nuisance properties?
A: MPD has Narcotics and Special Investigation Division (NSID) focused on some of these houses. Mentions needing to build criminal case with arrests and information recovery. Talks about coordination with OAG to go to court.
A: MPD has Narcotics and Special Investigation Division (NSID) focused on some of these houses. Mentions needing to build criminal case with arrests and information recovery. Talks about coordination with OAG to go to court.
23/ (continued) CM Todd has been blaming OAG for not closing these nuisance properties. Will see if he chimes in with that here...
24/ Q: Terminology about why gun shots are classified as illegal discharge of a weapon?
A: MPD talking about "sounds of gun shots" vs "shots fired". A report is only made if there is evidence which becomes an illegal discharge.
A: MPD talking about "sounds of gun shots" vs "shots fired". A report is only made if there is evidence which becomes an illegal discharge.
25/ Q: Todd asking MPD about pop-up MPD stations and patrols?
A: MPD will have more bike and foot patrols during summer. And will do more outreach.
***
This happens each summer. This isn't a new response to current shootings.
A: MPD will have more bike and foot patrols during summer. And will do more outreach.
***
This happens each summer. This isn't a new response to current shootings.
26/ (continued) MPD "We will continue to do what we have been doing crime wise."
MPD continues to push community to ask why they aren't prosecuted. This is actually request 7 we have sent CM Todd in February, asking for oversight hearings on this: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jv8ZpFGkKD6hnHPHxMRuN_wtwrMFL8QvRCNHh-kzeT8/edit#heading=h.nttxmz55xx0m
MPD continues to push community to ask why they aren't prosecuted. This is actually request 7 we have sent CM Todd in February, asking for oversight hearings on this: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jv8ZpFGkKD6hnHPHxMRuN_wtwrMFL8QvRCNHh-kzeT8/edit#heading=h.nttxmz55xx0m
27/ CM Todd "public safety is my top concern... More resources is my priority. I will not rest until we have no gun violence in the 4th District."
With that CM Todd is ending the meeting without proposing any new plans, not addressing why current policies have not done enough.
With that CM Todd is ending the meeting without proposing any new plans, not addressing why current policies have not done enough.
28/ Here is what we still don't know:
Will CM Todd support a new violence interrupter group in Petworth?
Does CM Todd think current budget cuts to violence interrupters (54% cut) is appropriate? If not how much is he committed to funding them?
Will CM Todd support a new violence interrupter group in Petworth?
Does CM Todd think current budget cuts to violence interrupters (54% cut) is appropriate? If not how much is he committed to funding them?
29/ (continued) The only answer he has provided publicly is "For the Fiscal Year 2021 budget, I have requested an increase in funding" and mentions program names but no $ amounts.
Here are his public responses that loosely correspond to the 17 requests https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jv8ZpFGkKD6hnHPHxMRuN_wtwrMFL8QvRCNHh-kzeT8/edit#heading=h.hg5bz6q8jfgt
Here are his public responses that loosely correspond to the 17 requests https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jv8ZpFGkKD6hnHPHxMRuN_wtwrMFL8QvRCNHh-kzeT8/edit#heading=h.hg5bz6q8jfgt
30/ We still haven't heard if he will request oversight hearings to find out why MPD arrests are not being prosecuted.
We still haven't heard if he will request oversight hearings about OAG statements that they aren't getting enough support to close nuisance properties.
We still haven't heard if he will request oversight hearings about OAG statements that they aren't getting enough support to close nuisance properties.
31/ Maybe the big outstanding question we didn't hear anything about is what are we doing differently now based on what we have learned from shootings earlier this year? With repeat shootings at the same locations there seems to be no urgency to change how we approach the issue.
