http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/04/AR2008060402205.html

Quote :

"D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier announced a military-style checkpoint yesterday to stop cars this weekend in a Northeast Washington neighborhood inundated by gun violence, saying it will help keep criminals out of the area. Starting on Saturday, officers will check drivers' identification and ask whether they have a "legitimate purpose" to be in the Trinidad area, such as going to a doctor or church or visiting friends or relatives. If not, the drivers will be turned away. ... The checkpoint will stop vehicles approaching the 1400 block of Montello Avenue NE, a section of the Trinidad neighborhood that has been plagued with homicides and other violence. Police will search cars if they suspect the presence of guns or drugs, and will arrest people who do not cooperate, under a charge of failure to obey a police officer, officials said. ... The strategy, patterned after a similar effort conducted years ago in New York, is not airtight. There are many ways to get in and out of Trinidad, not just on the one-way Montello Avenue. And pedestrians will not be stopped, which is something critics say might render the program ineffective. "I guess the plan is to hope criminals will not walk into neighborhoods," said D.C. Council member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large). "I also suppose the plan is to take the criminal's word for it when he or she gives the police a reason for driving into a neighborhood." ... The program is aimed at the city's most troubled areas. The 5th Police District, which includes Trinidad, has had 22 killings this year, one more than all of last year. Since April 1, the Trinidad neighborhood has had seven homicides, 16 robberies and 20 assaults with dangerous weapons, according to police data. In many cases in Trinidad and across the city, gunshots are fired from passing cars, victims are found in cars or cars are used to make fast getaways. ... One of Lanier's plans, the Safe Homes initiative, has yet to get off the ground because of a community backlash. The plan, announced by Lanier and Fenty at a news conference in March, called for police to go door-to-door in crime-ridden areas and ask residents whether they could go inside and search for guns. Residents and some council members voiced concerns that homeowners would feel intimidated by police. Lanier backed off, but said she plans to move forward soon by having residents call police to set up appointments. ... "I think the general consensus is that we have to do something because people live in fear," he said. "What would you rather have?" he asked. "A positive pattern of [police] checking things . . . or these folks who come into the community and wreak havoc?""

There's just something very disturbing about all of this. I am extremely sympathetic to the difficulty police have in doing their job, especially in an area where the public aren't allowed or are afraid to take measures to prevent crime, because the police obviously can't be everywhere at once, but this is NOT the answer.

Also, it's good to see that gun ban in DC is helping keep guns away from the criminals.

6/5/2008 9:55:57 PM

This bothers me A LOT

Glad I don't live in DC

6/5/2008 10:14:38 PM

Quote :

"Residents and some council members voiced concerns that homeowners would feel intimidated by police."

Why whatever for? Do they have something to hide?

Quote :

"she plans to move forward soon by having residents call police to set up appointments. [for warrantless searches]"

Sounds like an airtight plan to me. I'm sure criminals will be tripping all over themselves to call the police and set up a search.

[Edited on June 5, 2008 at 10:18 PM. Reason : ]

6/5/2008 10:17:25 PM

two words: Marion Barry

6/5/2008 10:38:44 PM

where does he live now?

i'd imagine a gated community of some sort

6/5/2008 11:14:42 PM

This is just another example of police uselessness. I'll repeat what I said in a recent thread.

http://thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=528022

Quote :

"If you look at the incentives it does make a perverse sort of sense. If police do a good job of preventing, deterring and punishing crime they put themselves out of a job. Their incentive is to focus on ineffectual bullshit that justifies large budgets and large staffs but still leaves private criminals free to terrorize the populace, so that they'll clamor for even more ineffectual and overbearing police measures."

[Edited on June 6, 2008 at 3:42 AM. Reason : ']

6/6/2008 3:36:22 AM

"When there aren't enough criminals, one makes them."

6/6/2008 4:54:30 AM

Quote :

"Papieren bitte!"

LOL

It would probably be more like, "Papieren--mach schnell!"

6/6/2008 5:28:01 AM

I'm not surprised DC produced the likes of terpball.

6/6/2008 11:45:17 AM