The Washington Post reports on an announcement by the MPD that they have arrested 77 people in Trinidad for selling or supplying drugs since June of this year. The arrests are part of a strategy on MPD's part of focusing heavily on particular crimes occurring within the Trinidad neighborhood. I had a lengthy conversation yesterday afternoon with a longtime veteran of MPD who is working on organizing community policing efforts in PSA 504. We talked about the challenges we face in trying to 1. identify block captains; 2. get officers and residents to understand the role of block captains; 3. get and keep information flowing in both directions in an organized and effective manner. He talked about the importance, for the purposes of building trust, of making sure officers, where possible, share strategies with the community. Specifically he talked about stepped up enforcement of certain laws that relate to both public safety and automobiles. The focus on cars is due to the fact that the criminals in many of the recent shootings fired from inside cars.
Also of interest in the article- Lanier stated that police have documented the presence of the Bloods in Trinidad. She did not say whether the gang appeared to be involved in the drug sales, or recent violence in the neighborhood.
20 comments:
great.
bloods in trinidad.
fantastic.
I've seen folks in near northeast with red flags (bandannas) for months now.
i just saw some of the purple city kids on the X2 a few days ago (they, predictably, wear purple bandannas/clothing).
Was the veteran MPD person at the last PSA meeting? At the end of that meeting I asked about volunteering for block captain and the issue got put off to the next PSA meeting.
Rob,
he was unable to make that meeting, and I believe he will be out of town for the September meeting. He's over in PSA 504 only temporarily, but he is interested in helping us out with building this up. I mentioned the PSA planning meeting [if we can get the police to come, and get a bigger group] as an alternative if he can't make the next meeting. I explained to him what happened at the August meeting with the block captain thing. Apparently he was under the impression that the topic had been discussed and they had possibly collected a list of names of potential candidates.
The link to the story is here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/27/AR2008082703289.html
On the corner of Hst NE and the library, there is definitely some drug activity. If it is so obvious to a layperson, why don't the police see it, and do something about it?
i rode by the library location, and saw some dubious characters.
i took a picture at the corner with my cell phone, and they all covered up their faces and started yelling and walking toward me.
i took off.
definitely some nefarious activity going on there.
maybe the "cops" are scared.
or part of the problem....
Until we decide to act, and then act, nothing will change. Until we push ourselves, beyond our comfort levels, beyond what we think our limits are, we will remain here on our computers talking about crime.
I just watched a speech by a black man who is a nom for the office of president. Something, unthinkable to my late grandmother. While not the same, if progress can be made there, progress can be made here at home. PSA meetings are not particularly well attended.
Many ANC commissioners are asleep at the switch here in 5B. Between the bickering and BS communities are forgotten.
Not that the community helps. Many citizens won’t step up to even do little things like pick up trash. Unfortunately, often the ones that are most active are so to further there own agenda. Personally, I am tired, of asking, begging, & reminding people to participate. I guess I am a little resentful that I have to beg or nag people to participate, take action, and follow through to help their own neighborhoods. This includes people who have taken the oath of office to do so. Then there are the government Officials that are paid, but won’t take action until you carbon copy the mayor.
I am glad the post is making money telling sensational stories.
I doubt it helps.
Hell, I know it won’t.
-Robby
robby,
most folks that post here are pretty dedicated to keeping up their neighborhood.
most of the folks on the board (if you've been reading the chilly tropics blog) get out and pick up trash, talk to neighbors, call the police when needed, etc.
not sure what your experience is, but your comments are pretty revealing.
it's not a "black against white" thing. it's about trying to develop a safe, economically viable neighborhood.
you are a photographer. cool. use it as a tool for change. since you have such a unique vision, CAPTURE IT, and share it.
but don't accuse people that take the time to discuss issues on this forum as idiots. these are the folks that are engaged in cleaning up a neighborhood that has lost touch with any kind of vision of what it could be.
that's all.
To be honest, what you said is crap. You're asking me to do more without understanding what I do. I am not a photo geek. And the people here are not idiots, and I am not sure where your race crack came from besides referencing Obama I and that great change I don't see where I tossed race into this.
I think you hit the nail on its head when you said, "not sure what your experience is" In stead of asking or trying to understand you went in to a defense and then an attack.
Opining on a blog is cute, but it doesn't do a damn thing to work towards a vision. In particular in a neighborhood where most people don't have the internet and cannot read at the level that they are suppose to. We may as well be speaking an obscure language, written in sky; it would be just as inaccessible.
The choice isn't for me to do what you say, but for us allto act to do something positive to work towards achieving change. People like me work until we burn out and we don't work anymore. You can continue to toss bombs or not, that's your choice. I'll see you when we are discussing the next murder.
-Robby
Sorry about the link. I was sure I had put it in there.
Which library on H street are you talking about seeing drug-selling activity at?
The only library on H [at least around here] is R. L. Christian at 13th and H.
Yes, isn't it funny how we don't invest in community learning, save for the phone booth library, and then we are shocked when gangs take over and crime is everywhere. I am not keen on big government intervention, but it would be nice to have a library. Something decent, a temple to learning so to speak. In stead we have a phone booth.
It's as if the hand writing is on the wall, but the natives can't read.
Sad really.
Or maybe it's progress.
-Robby
Is the Northeast Library on 7th and Mass too far for use from 13th and H? Just wondering what the expectations for a close library are. Not that I am suggesting that the library at 13th and H should not be upgraded.
I think the idea of having any neighoborhood w/o a library is insane. We have two Rec Centers in Trinidad, we had two elementary schools and a catholic school. But no library. It's just odd.
-Robby
I agree: Mass & 13 library is nearly 6 blocks from the 13th and H library. And we expect our children to ride their bikes or walk that distance?
It's no wonder they're gunning each other down in the streets!
robby,
i posted a train of thought. one that comes from many discussions with folks that live in the neighborhood.
sorry i assumed a race thing. you have a big map of africa on your name, you referenced your grandmother.
sorry. the internet is great for folks to share ideas, but it can also be misleading.
i am white, but don't identify with US white culture because i grew up in south america.
actually, that experience allows me to see a ton of crap that "americans" perpetuate.
americans never talk about race. but racisism exists. they never talk about "class", but clacissm exists.
most gringos are full of shit. they support one thing, and act on another. probably because of the whole calvinist culture upon which this country was founded.
anyway, i digress.
i found your "opining on a blog" very cute.
i'm guessing you're....... in your early to mid twenties.
yeah, fine. i'm assuming again. sorry. you might be 50 years old, in which case i throw in the towel.
you thought i attacked you, and wished i had asked for more information?
ok.
please, give us more information.
this forum is about exchanging ideas and thoughts.
apparently, i didn't quite get yours.
ball's in your court.
(and NO, that is not a racial reference. apparently, it's an american colloquialism that means 'your turn').
just covering my bases, cuz it seems that folks take $hit out of context just so they can stand on their soapbox and vent, without taking actions in their neighborhood.
that's all.
Just geting over terrible stomach pains, but here goes it. The map is of early DC not Africa. I am black, but rather counter culture - or at least to the way blacks are portrayed. I am 29 will be 30 in April. Glad to be over my early 20s and I look forward to entering my fourth decade of life. I fel 45 maybe older, I am a DC native and am in love with this Distict and work very hard to try to improve life aroud here.
I don't really have a soap box, and suck at basket ball or any sport with ball, or really any sport period.
In any event, I can be found on AIM/Yahoo or everywhere else as RobbyCU. If you want to know more you can hit me up there. Right now going to listen to a book about DC history, but the PCs always on. Hit me up maybe we can grab a beer (or some other beverage) its always fun to meet new people.
-Robby
ok. just testing.
you win. :o)
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