A new crime prevention initiative in DC's Trinidad neighborhood is underway.

As Jessica Forres reports....the community was troubled by violence this past summer....



The "Safe City" initiative is Police Chief Cathy Lanier's latest strategy to tackle crime in the Northeast neighborhood... where police set up check points after a string of shootings during the summer.

Lanier explained the program to a hundred police officers inside the gym at the Joseph Cole Recreation Center...

WHAT WE ARE HOPING IS THE FIRST PHASE OF MANY PHASES OF SUSTAINABLE SAFE COMMUNITIES IN WASHINGTON, DC RIGHT HERE IN WARD FIVE.

Thirty "real-time" cameras will be mounted on street corners and two hundred cell phones…programmed to call 9-1-1…will be distributed to residents.
What makes the initiative unique, Lanier says, is that the cameras are being paid for by the retailer Target, and the cell phones by Sprint/Nextel...

AS YOU KNOW WITH EVERYBODY'S BUDGETS BEING WHAT THEY ARE, CCTV IS A GOOD INVESTMENT BUT A BIG ONE AND THE SUPPORT WE GOT FROM TARGET AND THE POLICE FOUNDATION HERE IS REALLY MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO EXPAND WHAT WE HAVE.

"Safe City" will be part of several new policing strategies implemented by Chief Lanier...

RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE CITY WE HAVE 5 PERCENT REDUCTION IN VIOLENT CRIME, GUN CRIMES ACROSS THE BOARD ARE DOWN DOUBLE DIGITS.

But the police department's website says homicides are up 1 percent.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

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D.C. is getting nearly 30 privately funded crime fighting cameras for street corners in the Trinidad neighborhood, an area that was troubled by violence this summer.

Jessica Forres reports...

The new cameras are part of a program called Safe City and some are planned to be installed this May. Mayor Adrain Fenty...

THE CAMERAS WILL BE LINKED TO A STATE OF THE ART RADIO NETWORK AT MPD THAT WILL ALLOW OFFICERS TO MONITOR MULTIPLE CAMERAS IN REAL TIME.

The strategy also includes two hundred cell phones…programmed to call 9-1-1…which will be distributed to neighborhood block captains and residents who need them ... Police Chief Cathy Lanier…

WHAT WE ARE HOPING IS THE FIRST PHASE OF MANY PHASES OF SUSTAINABLE SAFE COMMUNITIES IN WASHINGTON, DC RIGHT HERE IN WARD FIVE.

Other cities involved in Safe City include Baltimore, Denver, Boston and Compton, Calif.
The cameras are being paid for by the retailer Target, and the cell phones by Sprint/Nextel.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

Drunk driving numbers are down throughout the Washington region.
But as Jessica Forres reports this holiday season...police aren't letting down their guard.



At Fairfax County's police training facility, Officer John Lamper hands me so-called "drunk driving goggles." He says they are meant to simulate driving with a blood alcohol content level of point 17. That's the equivalent of about six beers in under an hour.

YOU ARE GOING TO PUT THE GOGGLES ON AND DRIVE THAT CAR AND I'M GOING TO BE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T RUN OFF THE ROAD HIT ANYTHING.

[IGNITION]

SERPENTINE BETWEEN THE CONES DOWN THERE, CAN YOU SEE THEM
- UH UH, OOPS (THUMP< THUMP)
-JUST KEEP GOING, JUST KEEP GOING.
-I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE A VERY GOOD DRUNK DRIVER.

Law enforcement officials say drunk driving incidents are on the decline. alcohol related fatalities decreased two and a half percent from the year before.

Kurt Ericson is with the Washington Regional Alcohol Program credits an increase in checkpoints and DUI patrols, especially during the holiday season. Every 45 minutes someone is arrested for drunk driving in the Washington region.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

D.C. police continue to work with federal authorities to monitor sex offenders.

Jessica Forres rode along with a team on Halloween night to observe...

Boomp3.com'>LISTEN TO THE STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU 88.5 FM

WE'RE GOING TO HEAD OUT TO THE FIFITH DISTRICT POLICE STATION TO MEET UP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO ARE ASSISTING US

Paul Brennan is with the sex offender unit from the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, or C-SOSA. His unit and MPD work together every day…tonight they are visiting the homes of child sex offenders.

HALLOWEEN IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE WE HAVE CERTAIN SEX OFFENDERS WHO ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE CONTACT WITH MINORS AND THEM HANDING OUT CANDY TO CHILDREN WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THEIR RELEASE.

We visit the home of one man who doesn't seem to have a problem with the unannounced visit.

I'M A REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER AND PART OF MY PROBATION REQUIRES ME TO STAY IN ON HALLOWEEN TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY. I MADE A BAD CHOICE IN MY LIFE AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT.

Brennan says his unit visits offenders homes at least twice a week and monitors others by satellite.

THE UNIT HAS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS SO THAT WE ARE PRETTY SOPHISTICATED AND WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF TECHNOLOGY TO HELP US DO OUR JOBS AND THAT'S ALLOWED US TO MANAGE A VERY DIFFICULT AND CRAFTY POPULATION.

He says there are about 580 sex offenders in D-C assigned to C-SOSA officers.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 news

In the District, police have expanded patrols in the Adams Morgan neighborhood in response to a rash of violent incidents.

Jessica Forres talked with residents and patrons about the recent uptick in crime.

Boomp3.com'>LISTEN TO THE STORY THAT AIRED ON WAMU RADIO

Mariah Morales is hanging out at Madam's Organ…a popular bar where the latest shooting left a bullet hole in the outside wall.

She shrugs off any notion of danger in the neighborhood.

I HAVEN'T FELT UNSAFE HERE. I RUN HERE ALL THE TIME EVEN AT NIGHT. I REALLY HAVEN'T NOTICED THAT IT'S A PROBLEM.

But for Shiekh Asif...an employee at Jumbo Slice...the violence is worrisome.

YES WE ARE SCARED BECAUSE SOMETIME LIKE THAT HAPPEN AFTER 12:00 OR MIDNIGHT SO SOMEBODY COME AND TELL US THAT IS HAPPENING SO WE JUST BE VERY CAREFUL.

In the last month, there have been nearly a dozen street robberies and another dozen shootings in the area. Harrison Hillier is a bouncer at True Story.

YOU SEE LOTS OF DRUNK FIGHTS, LOTS OF ASSAULT AND BATTERY JUST RECENTLY HAS THERE BEEN AN INCREASE IN GUN VIOLENCE THOUGH.

Metropolitan police say they made five arrests in the Adams Morgan and U Street neighborhoods over the weekend. And they say they'll be back.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

In Virginia, the Loudoun County's Sheriff Office has called an emergency community meeting to discuss a recent rash of violence in Sterling Park.

Jessica Forres reports…

Boomp3.com'>LISTEN TO STORY 1 THAT AIRED ON WAMU RADIO!

Marty Pastrana lives down the street from where a 17-year old woman and 18-year old man were shot on September 13.

EVERY YEAR MORE AND MORE THINGS ARE HAPPENING OVER HERE IN THIS AREA.

That same night..a couple streets over...a young man was found with a knife-wound. His blood still stains the street. One resident...prefers to remain anonymous.

WE WERE REALLY SHOCKED AS I SAID THE NEIGHBORS THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING WRONG THAT I PROBABLY WAS SICK BECAUSE THE AMBULANCE WAS RIGHT THERE.

Five days later three young men were wounded in a drive by shooting near the other crime scenes. Chelsea Brucksheen, a college student, lives in the cul-de-sac where it happened.

THIS IS THE VERY FIRST VIOLENT CRIME THAT WE'VE HAD. THERE'S BEEN LIKE VANDALISM AND STUFF ALL THROUGHOUT, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST SERIOUS THING THAT'S HAPPENED.

The spurt of violence last week and an overall increase in crime throughout the county has Steve Simpson, Loudoun County's Sherriff worried…

WHEN YOU HAVE THIS TYPE OF VIOLENT CRIME WHETHER IT'S A RASH DEPENDING ON HOW THEY GO AND IF DOES TURN OUT TO BE GANG RELATE IT COULD BE THAT IT COULD LEAD TO MORE PROBLEMS.

Tonight there will a cummunity meeting about the recent events. It will be held at Park View High School at 6:30 p.m.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News

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In Virginia, the Loudoun County Sherriff's Office is reaching out to the community to talk about the recent acts of violence happening in Sterling.

Jessica Forres reports…

Boomp3.com'>LISTEN TO STORY 2 THAT AIRED ON WAMU RADIO!

Last week, nearly five young people were either shot or stabbed in the neighborhood of Sterling Park…one of the oldest residential communities built in Loudoun County.

Steve Simpson is Loudoun County's Sheriff. He says changing demographics, an increase in population and a bad economy may explain the recent crime wave.

THERE'S A LOT MORE FOLKS MOVING INTO THE COUNTY WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH. THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FURTHER SERVICES TRYING TO GET INTO THESE COMMUNITIES IN SOME CASES WHERE THESE FOLKS ARE VICTIMIZED BY THEIR OWN BASICALLY AND THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE IN OUR SYSTEM.

One resident…she prefers to remain anonymous…lives on North Amelia Street….where a 25 year old man was found with a knife-wound…His blood still stains the street.

THE AMBULANCE WAS RIGHT THERE. THE AREA HAS BEEN VERY SAFE, WE HAVE NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER THAT I KNOW OF.

The community meeting is tonight at 6:30 at Park View High School.

DC's Police Department and the Army Reserve have launched a joint venture to train and recruit employees...

I attended the ceremony

Listen to the story