Just sayin…
President Trump is stepping up federal law enforcement in D.C. this week, deploying officials from over 15 agencies in a high-profile push to crack down on crime.
Why it matters: D.C.’s mix of federal- and city-controlled land creates overlapping law enforcement zones — making it easier to increase arrests, but also raising alarms over accountability and civil rights.
Full article, HERE from Axios.
If you go into DC anytime, but especially after dark, you take your life in your hands…
Not a single person I worked with over 13 years actually lived IN the district. They either lived in VA or in MD, some as far away as almost to Baltimore! And none of us liked having to go to the Navy Yard for meetings, especially if we didn’t have parking access on the base.
Friends who were LEOs with various agencies hated dealing with Metro PD, because of the lack of cooperation on anything from a traffic stop to murder. And apparently MPD would ‘try’ to take cases away from Federal officers that occured on federal property, depending on the perp’s identity!
And if you went up into Georgetown to have a meal, and parked your VA plate vehicle in a ‘secure’ lot, you might only have a broken window, if you were lucky…
So no, we didn’t go into the district unless we had to, or only to certain museums, etc. and only on off days…
Which was a shame, as there was a lot to see.
Like you, I lived in the VA suburbs because the District was just too dangerous. We had a neighbor who was a CPT with the Park Police, and he had nothing good to say about MPD.
And that was 30 years ago before I retired and got out of town as fast as I could pack the moving van.
I was with Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad back in the ’70s. We HATED runs into DC, even to the DC Children’s Hospital. We never left the ambulance unguarded, and the co-driver usually kept a pry-axe handy. I doubt if things have improved in 50 years.
Clear out the thugs.
Wait, not those… well, ok them too.
I read a good article on Substack yesterday about returning most of the District to Maryland. Arlington was originally a part of the 10 mile square, but was returned to Virginia, no legal reason why Congress couldn’t do the same for the rest, keeping only the narrow strip that contains the WH and assorted monuments.
When I was a federal officer in DC in the late 90’s, the only time you saw MPD was when a movie was being filmed. I even recall two officers in flight uniforms. This was after they disbanded their helicopter unit, since it was too expensive to maintain. Loved working with Park Police, especially their horse mounted officers. Always a treat watching someone try to outrun a horse. Had one officer reply to the winded perp that he could keep going, since her horse wasn’t tired yet.
Wayne- I did the same thing!
Ed- It’s gotten worse with the advent of rigs carrying drugs if they were ALS. Electronic locks, ‘security guards’ at the ED, etc…
Steve- If only…sigh
Hereso- They should!
BA- Understood. Good friend was a PP Sgt. He had ‘stories’…
Dad had a chance at going Career AF but first posting would be at the Pentagon or take a liaison position and retire out as a reserve officer.
He chose wisely, got out, didn’t want to go to the Pentagon. If the posting was elsewhere, like anywhere else, he probably would have stayed in.
As to actual DC, you have Metro DC and the Capital Police who cover up just about everything that politicians do in that benighted city.
Mayhaps it needs to be a military district again. With a military governor.
I can remember when, in addition to the Park Police and the MPD they had Armed Services Police who partolled the district using MP’s from all the Services.
One night I saw team made up with an absolute monster of an Air Force guy armed with a teenie tiny .38 detective special with a 2 inch barrel and a very small female Army MP with a .45 that had the grip almost in her armpit. But without any fuss, or visible blood they put an interservice bar fight to rest in about two minutes.
I would guess that ‘accountability’ means ability of a hypothetical Democratic Party criminal conspiracy to improperly interfere with investigations.
I’ve never been in D.C. and have no desire. It does seem ironic the capitol of the most powerful nation is one of the most dangerous cities in the world.Bravo for PDJT for tackling the problem.
Being assigned to Andrews AFB, after 9-11, was more dangerous than being sent to Afghanistan.
I was in Arlington on a business trip recently, and two nights we went into DC for dinner. We used the Metro one time, and Uber the other, and we never walked around in groups of less than five. Even with eleven us, walking the National Mall in the dark felt vaguely unsafe, and there were sketchy characters all over. Worth it for a good close up of the Washington Monument, but not something I’d want to do with my family instead of a good-sized group of adults.
In my opinion, D.C. needs to go back to full federal control, but with the proviso that for purposes of representation the people living there will be considered citizens of the state of Maryland. That gets rid of the ‘D.C. statehood’ push.
All- I can’t disagree with any of your comments. Thanks!
I’m a 7th generation Washingtonian. Yes, we were there BEFORE DC existed. Fifth generation .gov employee or contractor (both in my case). Grandfather Kuhns was 1st a White House Police officer (pre-uniform Secret Service) then a Metro PD officer. Died as a result of injuries sustained on duty. Grandma got a secretarial job with MPD (widow’s perogitive?). When I applied to MPD in 1979 applicants were given 2 hours to complete the written exam. I finished in 20 minutes. Took another 15 to double check. Scored a 100. Of course I wasn’t hired. Later a Federal Protective officer in suburban Washington but occasionally had to go to the Navy Yard for in service training. Even with a loaded revolver on my hip I felt “very alert.” Marked cars were just “bullet magnets.” And that was 40+ years ago.
DC lost home rule in the late 19th Century due to a corrupt mayor and city council. City was governed by a 3-man Board of Commissioners. One was a lawyer from DoJ, one chosen by the city Chamber of Commerce, and the physical plant was overseen by a Brigadier from The Corps of Engineers.
I second the idea of returning most of DC to Maryland and governing the rest via Congressional oversight.
If the district were to be returned to MD I’ll just sit back and enjoy the fight over what part goes to Montgomery County and what part goes to Prince George County. Or if MD, in its wiscom creates a new county and perpetuates the problems.