(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser kicked off the Summer Crime Initiative (SCI) – a coordinated effort to reduce violent crime through strategic prevention and focused enforcement in specific areas across the District. Every year for nearly ten years, the Metropolitan Police Department has identified five to six focus areas that have experienced a high density of violence and utilized all available resources, including collaborative outreach, to prevent violent crime in those areas during the summer months.
“We know that crime and violence prevention is about more than just policing,” said Mayor Bowser. “The Summer Crime Prevention Initiative builds safer, stronger neighborhoods by expanding access to opportunities that keep our young people safe and engaged, connecting residents to employment opportunities, and ensuring more neighborhoods get the attention and supports they need to thrive.”
Through focused prevention and strategic enforcement and with the support of all partners in the justice system, SCI is designed to:
- reduce violent crime;
- remove illegal guns from our neighborhood streets;
- hold repeat violent offenders accountable;
- utilize all available resources and latest crime-fighting technology;
- collaborate with partner agencies and organizations for additional assistance; and
- conduct innovative outreach for all community members.
“Over the course of the past ten years, the efforts of MPD and our partner agencies during the Summer Crime Initiative (SCI) have greatly contributed to the steady decrease in violent crime across the District,” said Chief of Police Peter Newsham. “Our goal is to build upon the successes of the past SCI’s and develop thriving relationships with community members in these areas.”
During the summer months, MPD will implement the initiative at the following selected priority Police Service Areas (PSA): 506, 507, 602, 603, 608, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706 and 708. These PSAs encompass the neighborhoods of Langston Carver, Trinidad, Grant Park NE Boundary, Greenway, Greater Anacostia, Woodland, Congress Heights, Douglass, Shipley, and Washington Highlands.
Throughout this initiative, MPD partners with multiple agencies to build on a community focused strategy. Some examples include:
- DCPS - Conduct truancy awareness campaigns, assist the MPD in identifying and addressing chronically truant children, educate the parents on the consequences of chronic truancy.
- OAG - Identify children who are at risk and partner with MPD, DYRS, and other agencies to implement early intervention programs.
- DPR - Conduct outreach to increase usage of recreation centers, identify activities such as camps and other recreation to which we can refer kids in need.
MPD also holds multiple outreach events and programs throughout the summer including National Night Out, Beat the Streets, the STARS Teen Camp Program, and many more.
At the press conference, the Mayor was joined by Kevin Donahue, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice, Peter Newsham, Chief of MPD, and Del McFadden, Executive Director of the Safer Stronger DC Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement.
Following the press conference, Mayor Bowser led a community public safety walk in Ward 8 at 4225 6th Street, SE, the future site of Ward 8 Short-Term Family Housing. During the walk, Mayor Bowser addressed neighborhood concerns and heard from residents and business owners in the Washington Highlands neighborhood.