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Government of the District of Columbia
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, January 12, 2004 |
CONTACT: TONY BULLOCK 202-727-6846 202-368-4831 (cell) |
(Washington, DC) Earlier today, Mayor Anthony A. Williams, City Administration Robert Bobb, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Margret Kellems and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Charles H. Ramsey unveiled the administration’s new PSA restructuring plan. The plan will now be transmitted to the City Council for a 60 day review.
MPD’s Police Service Areas - better known as PSAs - provide the framework for day-to-day community policing operations. They allow for the development of neighborhood partnerships, enabling law enforcement to work with community leaders and tailor action plans that are specifically designed to address crime problems in particular areas.
"As we begin the New Year, we do so with a renewed commitment to make our city safer and to target specific crime activity across the District. The new PSA system will be an essential component of this effort," said Williams. "We’re doing more than redrawing lines. This restructuring will integrate city services with police operations putting the District in a better position to protect our citizens."
The final product reflects extensive input from residents, civic leaders, councilmembers and police officers – a process of engagement that began last May following a citywide crime forum. Under the leadership of Chief Ramsey, MPD brought ANC members, community leaders, agency directors and citizens at large into the process of redesigning PSA boundaries, determining staffing levels and creating a new management structure.
The new PSA system will:
Provide greater flexibility in police efforts on the street to target "hot spots" and address specific problems and situations.
Create boundaries that are more closely aligned with DC neighborhoods and neighborhood clusters. These boundaries will be "custom made" as opposed to the "one-size-fits all" approach that we now have. Neighborhoods will no longer be divided between two or more PSAs.
Reduce the total number of PSAs from 83 to 43, which will allow for much better management, leadership, oversight, and accountability.
"Crime is a community problem. A successful effort to reduce crime must involve our schools, our businesses, our clergy, our courts, our government leaders and those on the front lines who do the tough work in human services, substance abuse prevention, and neighborhood outreach," said Mayor Williams.
City Administrator Robert Bobb will head the effort to integrate city services into the PSA structure. In this way, agencies can better coordinate the full range of city services with an eye towards making public safety the number one priority.. This new level of coordination and day-to-day interface will be the key to making progress on the issue of crime in DC.
Mayor Williams cautioned, "If the new PSAs are not fully staffed, they will not work the way they were designed to work. I know that every one of the 200 officers we added to the budget in 2004 will be needed to bring the newly-drawn PSAs up to their full potential"
"I am confident that our new PSA system will put the Metropolitan Police Department in a stronger position to fight crime and make DC neighborhoods safer. It will continue the momentum in reducing crime achieved during the recent ‘Crime Initiative,’" he added..
Making DC’s neighborhoods safer will take the collective effort of residents, police, other city workers, elected officials and civic leaders. In short, it will take the efforts of the entire city. The new PSA structure provides an opportunity to re-develop and re-energize these partnerships.
Talking Points for Robert C. Bobb, Deputy Mayor and City
Administrator
(In his absence at press conference, actually presented by Patrick Canavan,
Director of Neighborhood Services)
You will speak after the Mayor makes the announcement and the Chief of Police gives details regarding how MPD Patrol Service Areas will be reshaped to respond to citizen safety concerns.
Crime Prevention is our Priority.
Citizen Summit told us Make Neighborhoods Safer,
The Mayor responded by director MPD's PSA Redeployment, which is part of the answer.
But crime prevention requires the attention and support of every government agency.
I have directed that coordinated work in support of the Police Department be prioritized using the Mayor's Neighborhood Services initiative.
Last Thursday I met with some 200 employees, from 15 participating agencies, who work together through the Core Teams in each of the 8 wards of the District.
I was impressed and excited by the Core Teams. These workers are the heart and soul of government, they are ready for a challenge, and they have a history of fully responding when needs arise.
Why use the Core Teams?
The Core Teams talked with me about what "crime prevention is a priority" means in their job.
It means:
For instance:
Working together, we will get this done.
Proposed Second District PSAs
Proposed Third District PSAs
Proposed Fourth District PSAs
Proposed Fifth District PSAs
Proposed Sixth District PSAs
Proposed Seventh District PSAs
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