Violent crime is down across the board in D.C., yet an annual push to reduce gun violence in targeted neighborhoods is kicking off.
Compared to this time last year, violent crime as a whole is down 7%, according to D.C. police data updated daily. The data show sex abuse incidents have fallen 27% compared with 2019, and homicides are down 4%.
“If you look at our shootings recently, and if you look at our homicides in general, they are not down enough, as far as I’m concerned,” Police Chief Peter Newsham told WTOP. “We had over 160 homicides in the city last year. For a city this size, with a little over 700,000 residents, we shouldn’t have that many people being killed, particularly by gun violence.”
It’s why he and Mayor Muriel Bowser are relaunching the summer crime initiative, which had to be extended into the fall last year due to continued violence.
For the 10th summer, the D.C. police will focus their available resources and use the latest crime-fighting technology to eliminate violent crimes in specified areas. Despite the change to monitor areas of the city to ensure social distancing, Newsham said there is not a strain on resources due to COVID-19.
He acknowledged the program will be different from years past, as community events will be limited — if held at all — during the public health emergency. Newsham said the focus on improving community safety will be the same.
“Every year we’ve done it, we’ve been able to impact violent crime in the areas we’ve selected,” Newsham said.
The neighborhoods officers will focus on this summer include:
- Columbia Heights (PSAs 302/304)
- Benning Road/Rosedale/Langston-Carver (PSA 507)
- Fort Dupont/Minnesota Avenue (PSA 603)
- Benning Ridge/Marshall Heights (PSA 604)
- East Congress (PSA 704/705)
- Washington Highlands (PSA 706/708)
“We’re going to focus, from a law enforcement standpoint, on repeat violent offenders and gun offenders,” Newsham said.
