Law enforcement officials Friday celebrated an 18 percent reduction in violent crime in 90 days, although they cautioned that more long-term solutions are needed for D.C.
“Today is a proud day for law enforcement in the District of Columbia,” said FBI assistant in charge Joseph Persichini Jr.
The findings were reviewed at a crime summit of more than 60 federal and D.C. law enforcement officers including the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The summit was the first since July when officials from more than a dozen agencies announced that they would coordinate efforts to fight crime after the District saw several brutal attacks on the National Mall and 13 murders in 11 days.
Law enforcement officials credited the crime reduction to enhanced cooperation between the agencies, an increase in resources and new crime-fighting legislation.
“We’re not declaring victory, we’ve got a long way to go,” D.C. Police Chief Charles Ramsey said. “But we’re making progress because a very deadly trend was taking place and we were able to reverse it.”
D.C. police officers have been working six-day shifts. Local and federal law enforcement established a team of robbery and violent crime task forces, stepped up operations to serve warrants on violent criminals and visited parolees more frequently. The D.C. council moved up the curfew for teenagers and installed 48 surveillance cameras around District neighborhoods.
A U.S. Marshals task force, with officers from Baltimore to Norfolk, began cracking down on violent crime warrants resulting in the arrest of 747 fugitives.
The violent crimes and robberies task forces are investigating more than 100 cases and have closed 30 crimes. The District has spent more than $8.2 million to pay for police overtime to have patrols work six days a week. The D.C. council Wednesday approved $4.2 million for more overtime.
