PSA102 Neighborhood Public Safety Meetings

Citizen Moderators, PSA Lieutenant, Patrol Officers, Sergeants, US Attorney and DC Attorney General Offices, Community Outreach Specialists, Crime Statisticians, CSOSA, Meeting Recorder, and our fellow neighbors and business members. We tackle crime head on listening to what's important to you by formulating strategic responses with police and government interventions, enforcements, planning and policy considerations designed to eradicate nuisance, public safety and security concerns.

22 January, 2009

Most Deplorable Residential Buildings

Progress in Repairing the District’s Most Deplorable Residential Buildings

Government of the District of Columbia
Executive Office of the Mayor

Contact: Feras Sleiman, (202) 251 8829
Michael Rupert, (202) 437 1024

Washington, DC—Today Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, joined by Attorney General Peter J. Nickles and Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) Director Linda K. Argo announced that many of the District’s most vulnerable residents are now dramatically safer, just eight months after the city filed a sweeping lawsuit to force repairs in some dangerous residential buildings.

The owners of all 13 buildings named in the lawsuit have addressed the majority of the needed repairs. Of the 2,800 housing code violations originally cited in 330 units in the buildings, more than 82 percent have been abated and six of the properties were completely repaired and have therefore been removed from the lawsuit.

“Some of the District’s most dangerous residential buildings that were allowed to rot while residents suffered are finally being made whole,” Fenty said. “We have made tremendous progress and Attorney General Nickles and Director Argo deserve credit for being innovative and bold in their approach to this important effort.” While the lawsuit has had a significant impact, more work will need to be done to identify and prevent new buildings from falling into disrepair.

“This lawsuit has been a huge success in forcing landlords to make the repairs themselves but we cannot relent in our pursuit of these landlords,” Nickles said. “We have put landlords on notice that they cannot allow these conditions and we will comb all eight wards to make sure these egregious violations cease to exist.”

More than 95 percent of the abated violations were paid for by the landlords.

According to DCRA Director Argo, “We are putting in place a new proactive inspections program that will ensure all multi-family residential apartment buildings in the District are inspected on a regular schedule.”

The new program also includes automatic referrals for inspections to the DC Department of Health (DOH) and the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) for mold, lead, air quality, rodents and other health and environmental issues.

Until now the DCRA inspections unit relied solely on the eyes and ears of the tenants to report problems. Today, the agency along with DOH and the DDOE are committed to conducting, regular systematic inspections regardless of whether a complaint is issued.

All of the estimated 4,800 apartment buildings in the District will automatically be placed on a four-year inspection cycle. If city inspectors find substantial code violations in common areas, exterior premises, or within apartment units, the building will be moved into a 2-year inspection cycle.

Failure to pass an inspection will result in notices of violation, fines, and possibly criminal prosecution. DCRA will roll out the proactive inspections program in the first quarter of 2009.

Some of the properties removed from the lawsuit include:

• 2913 Knox Place, SE, owned by Adolphe Edwards
30 units; a total of 233 violations cited.

• 518 9th Street, NE, owned by Capitol East Partners LLC
64 units; a total of 412 violations cited and abated.

• 1114 F Street, NE owned by Capitol East Partners II, LLC
48 units; a total of 163 violations cited and abated.

• 7444 Georgia Avenue, NW owned by 7444 Georgia Avenue, NW LLC
21 units; a total of 162 violations cited

• 2401 Ontario Road, NW owned by Ontario Partners LLC
22 units; a total of 129 violations cited

• 2359 Ontario Road, NW owned by Ontario Partners LLC
28 units; a total of 75 violations cited

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Police Ride-Along Program

Police Ride-Along Program
The Police Ride-Along program allows residents to accompany officers during their tour of duty in a police vehicle. This public education program gives residents a better understanding of police operations.
If you are interested in a ride-along, use the application below. You must also complete either an adult or juvenile release form.
Please print and complete the application and one of the releases below: Ride Along Application* Adult Release* Juvenile Release* (under 18 years of age)
Fax the application and release to the Patrol Services Bureau at (202) 576-8078 or send by mail to the address below. If the application is faxed, please call the Patrol Services Bureau the following day to ensure the paperwork was received. If the application was mailed, please call the Patrol Services Bureau in seven business days.
Completing this form does not guarantee that your ride-along request will be approved. It is the responsibility of the applicant to confirm receipt of the application.
For more information, contact:
Lieutenant Allan ThomasPatrol Services BureauMetropolitan Police Department 801 Shepherd St NWWashington, DC 20011202 576-6600 office202-576-8078 fax
or email: allan.thomas@dc.govor contact your 1st District Police

MPD’S ANONYMOUS CRIME TIP LINES

CALL OR TEXT THE MPD’S ANONYMOUS CRIME TIP LINES
District residents will soon notice a new advertising campaign to promote the MPD’s toll free tip lines. Watch for the ads on Metrorail and Metrobus lines throughout the city’s neighborhoods to appear this week. The crime tip line — 1-888-919-CRIME – is staffed by detectives 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Anyone who has information
concerning a homicide, gangs, guns, drugs, or other offenses can call the anonymous tip line, and a detective will report all information.

Additionally, community members can use their cell phones to
anonymously text tips to the Metropolitan Police Department. Give 5-0 the 4-1-1 with the new Text Tip Line: 50411. Text messages are monitored by members of the department 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tips are then analyzed and passed on to the appropriate unit or division for follow up. Because the tip line is anonymous, the sender will not receive
a response to the original message.

BE Aware

USE COMMON SENSE

Report all crimes and any suspicious
activity or person immediately to the
MPD by dialing 911.
• Avoid walking alone late at night. Walk
in groups when you can.
• Always be aware of your surroundings,wherever you are. If you are wearing
headphones, do not turn up the volume so high that you cannot hear outside noises.
• Stay in well-lit or heavily traveled areas.
Avoid alleys, vacant lots, wooded areas, and other short-cuts or secluded areas.
• If someone attempts to rob you, do not resist. It is better to give up your property than to risk injury.

This is the 1st Police District

Also known as 1D. There is a sub-station call 1D1.

First District Community

Located in the lower central portion of the District of Columbia, the First District is home to the city's business and political center. It includes some of our nation's most recognized and cherished landmarks, as well as some of the city's most interesting and diverse neighborhoods.

Because it has both a district station and a substation, the First District is divided operationally into two areas: west and east. The western part of the district includes the US Capitol (House, Senate), the White House, Federal Triangle, the downtown business district (including the Convention Center and the Verizon Center), Chinatown, H Street, Florida Avenue to the south, Benning Road to the south and the waterfront. Most residences in this area are in the Southwest quadrant near the waterfront, although there is a growing resident population in such "downtown" communities as Penn Quarter.

The eastern part of the district, which is served by the 1D-1 Substation, includes the historic Capitol Hill neighborhood and the Washington Navy Yard. Capitol Hill is one of the oldest sections of the city, with many historic homes and buildings, including the US Supreme Court, Library of Congress, Eastern Market and Union Station.

With the PSA restructuring that took effect in May 2004, the First District now has seven Police Service Areas (or PSAs).

Crime Prevention Starts with Cleaning Up in Front and Behind Your House

SOLID WASTE EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM
Keeping DC clean is a team effort - involving city government, residents and businesses - and DPW provides the tools for everyone to get on board. The Solid Waste Education and Enforcement Program (SWEEP) is responsible for sanitation education and enforcement, and provides a variety of services to District residents to combat illegal dumping, clean up vacant lots, and support neighborhood clean-ups. When education does not result in following proper sanitation practices, SWEEP inspectors will enforce the sanitation regulations.

Juvenile Firesetter's Intervention

Juvenile Firesetter's Intervention Program

The Facts
Fires and burns are the leading causes of injury and death to children.
Children are twice as likely to die in fire than adults.
Even toddlers can start a fire with a match or a lighter.
Nationally, of every 100 people who die in child-set fires, 85 are children.

The Program
The Juvenile Firesetter's Intervention Program is a short-term counseling/education intervention program designed to enlighten parents and children about fire safety and the consequences of fire. Our service identifies at-risk juveniles ranging in ages from 2 to 17. It is also designed to assess the juvenile's need for short-term counseling or outside long-term counseling services.

Referrals
Primarily, referrals are made by members of the fire department and the juvenile court who come in contact with juveniles who are involved in fire incidents; however, anyone who cares about the safety of our children (parents, family, friends, neighbors, or others) can call for help.

For further information contact: The Juvenile Firesetter's Intervention Program(202) 727-1614

Text Telephone Numbers for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Text Telephone Numbers for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

To accomodate the needs of the deaf and hard-of-hearing residents of DC, TTY machines are available at all of the district stations as well as some specialized units.
If you need to contact the police, fire department, or EMS for response to an emergency situation, please call 911 immediately. The emergency number, 911, is TTY compatible and operators will be available to assist you 24 hours a day.
If you have a non-emergency need that is not specific to one of the districts or specialized units listed below, please call 311, DC's non-emergency number. Like the emergency number, 311 is TTY compliant and operators will be able to provide you with the proper assistance.
The numbers listed below have been activated to give the deaf and hard-of-hearing residents in DC an easy way to contact their PSA team members and get involved in community policing in their neighborhood.

District Address TTY Number
First District 415 4th St, SW 202.863.4032
1D Substation 500 E St, SE 202.543.2352
Fifth District 1805 Bladensburg Rd, NE 202.727.5437
Sixth District 100 42nd St, SE 202.398.5397