D.C.’s “crime emergency” is ongoing and increased police presence alone will not solve the problem, D.C. Police Chief Charles Ramsey said Friday at a last-minute meeting convened by the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington.
“Everything we are doing now is short-term and we’re going to find ourselves back here year after year talking about the same thing,” Ramsey said. “In the meantime we’ve got to stop the bodies from dropping … but usually when it slows down there’s a collective sigh of relief and it’s back to business. We’ve got to get to the root of the problem.”
The meeting, which was held in Southeast at the nonprofit Earth Conservation Corps, brought together leaders from the nonprofit community to discuss long-term solutions to the city’s spike in crime. While it was agreed the community must bear part of the responsibility, local nonprofit leaders said funding issues often prevent them from making headway.
“You got $8 million dollars by declaring an emergency two days ago,” said Mai Fernandez of the Latin American Youth Center to Ramsey during the meeting. “None of us are getting $8 million anytime soon … Chief Ramsey needs to take the lead.”
Ramsey said that money goes toward paying overtime.
Ramsey said he was willing to “stand with” the nonprofit community to lobby for more funding, but said it is up to local nonprofits — along with neighborhood groups, parents, educators and other leaders — to come up with concrete actions.
The meeting, which was called as a direct response to the area’s crime emergency, was the first of its kind, despite the fact that Ramsey has declared three other crime emergencies during his eight-year tenure.
Chuck Bean, executive director of the Nonprofit Roundtable, said he hopes to have a series of meetings to come up with concrete ideas for slowing crime, and also wants to continue a dialogue with Ramsey and other government leaders.
“We’re having this meeting in the shadow of the new baseball stadium,” Bean said.
“If we could put that same energy into poverty, making opportunities for youth that we put into that, maybe we will solve it.”
