D.C.
police are increasing patrols, creating a squad of detectives and
boosting rewards to battle a recent surge in robberies, Police Chief
Charles H. Ramsey announced yesterday.
Speaking at a
news conference on a Northwest Washington street corner, Ramsey said
the number of robberies has jumped across the city in recent months.
Authorities reported 408 robberies in September, up 43 percent from 284
in June. So far this year, the number of robberies is running about 3
percent higher than last year -- the only category in which crime is
up, police statistics show.
"We are talking serious numbers in terms of increase," Ramsey
said. "If we don't nip this in the bud, it's only going to get worse."
Ramsey
said he was establishing rewards of $5,000 for information leading to
arrests and convictions of robbery suspects. That amount will increase
to $10,000 if a robbery victim is injured, the chief said. Police
typically have limited rewards to homicide cases, although the
nonprofit group Crime Solvers has distributed rewards of $1,000 for
information that solves a variety of cases, including holdups.
A
squad of 14 detectives will focus only on robberies, police officials
said, and will pay special attention to repeat offenders, who can
commit dozens of robberies before being caught.
Police
officials blamed the recent spike on ex-offenders recently released
from custody. Ramsey said juveniles also might be responsible for a
sizable share of the increase. Some youths are competing with each
other to see who can commit the most robberies, he said.
Some
neighborhoods have been hit particularly hard. Yesterday's announcement
was made at 14th and U streets NW, in the 3rd District, one of the
areas where the problem has been growing.
The news
conference was organized by Kenneth E. Barnes Sr., a community activist
whose son, Kenneth E. Barnes Jr., was slain in a robbery just blocks
away in September 2001. He and other community leaders met recently
with top police officials to find ways to address the "terrible upsurge
in crime and violence," he said.
A crowd of frustrated business owners and residents attended the event, with many asking pointed questions of police officials.
A
half-dozen residents of Logan Circle complained that police were not
conducting enough patrols or responding quickly enough to their calls
for help. Sometimes, they said, police never show up.
"When
are we going to feel protected?" Kevin Ivers, a Logan Circle resident,
asked Ramsey. "We feel like sitting ducks out there."
Business owners who work in the U Street corridor said the increase in crime is driving away customers.
Negash
Shifraw said he has witnessed robberies, drug dealing, car thefts and a
shooting in recent months near his Ethiopian restaurant, Abiti, in the
1900 block of Ninth Street NW. He said police sometimes drive down the
street but rarely stop. "It is really hurting business," Shifraw said.
Ramsey,
who has resisted a plan before the D.C. Council to boost his force by
1,600 officers, said he would support a more "modest increase" in
staffing.
Council members Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) and
Adrian M. Fenty (D-Ward 4) have introduced a bill to increase the
3,800-member department by 500 officers.
Graham, who
spoke before Ramsey at the news conference, said he has grown tired of
hearing residents ask, "Where are the police?"
"There are just not enough of them," he said.
