WASHINGTON — Mayor Muriel Bowser is pleased with how the D.C. police’s body-worn camera program is working, based on her comments during a “Community Conversations” conference call Saturday focusing on public safety.
“It is the most progressive in the entire nation — the most transparent of its kind,” Bowser said.
Seated with a panel of citizens and fielding phone calls, Bowser said she wants to build on last year’s 10 percent reduction in violent crime. Good relations between residents and police help, she said.
“People are very pleased with working with their police,” Bowser said.
Increased police presence on the streets has helped cut crime, and Bowser said residents believe more jobs for young people would help as well.
“They want to know how we are expanding opportunity and giving access to jobs,” she said.
Samantha Nolan, who works to expand neighborhood watch, said surveillance cameras have helped as well. The video is fed to D.C. police, who can direct it to community listservs.
“A lot of the people involved in the crimes are identified by the residents within that neighborhood,” Nolan said.
WTOP’s Dick Uliano contributed to this article.
