PSA 308 Meeting

I attended the PSA 308 meeting at the United House of Prayer tonight. I found the meeting to be helpful and appreciate the MPD's interest in working with Shaw residents' on addressing the recent wave of shootings in the neighborhood. However, I feel like we spent too much time on the U.S. Attorney's presentation on the Youth Court and not enough time for the officers and residents to interact and discuss ways to combat the crime wave. Cary Silverman wrote a detail summary of tonight's meeting and posted on the Mt. Vernon Square neighborhood blog.

Personally I am very frustration with the violence that is taking place in Shaw. I've live in Shaw for almost six years. Despite Lt. Neal's statistical analysis on the downward trend of crime in the PSA by 24%, I feel like I'm living in more fear today than two years ago. Walking home from the Metro tonight, I found myself looking for solid objects, like cars and trees, that can shield me from incoming bullets.

According to the police, many of the crimes, including auto thefts and car breakins, are being committed by some very young felons. While I appreciate the U.S. Attorney's focus on rehabilitating the youthful offenders, I hope that the MPD will focus its resources on first stopping the crimes in the neighborhood.