{"id":2131187,"date":"2023-12-21T18:58:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T23:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/with-crime-soaring-dc-considers-removing-police-from-property-crime-investigations\/"},"modified":"2023-12-21T19:03:55","modified_gmt":"2023-12-22T00:03:55","slug":"with-crime-soaring-dc-considers-removing-police-from-property-crime-investigations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/with-crime-soaring-dc-considers-removing-police-from-property-crime-investigations\/","title":{"rendered":"DC considers removing police from property crime investigations as crime rates continue to rise"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwith-crime-soaring-dc-considers-removing-police-from-property-crime-investigations%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2131187&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Murder Rates Soar in D.C. as Police\u2064 Struggle to Keep Up<\/h2>\n<p>With murders at the highest rate in years, the nation\u2019s capital may soon not even send police officers to investigate property crimes, instead sending civilians with no badge or gun.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>A \u200bmajority of the Washington, D.C., city \u200ccouncil has signed on\u2064 to a bill that would allow \u201ccivilian investigators\u201d to handle crimes like theft because police are so overwhelmed with active violent crimes. The council\u2019s chairman Phil Mendelson\u200b said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/chairmanmendelson.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Evidence-Based-Gun-Violence-Reduction-and-Prevention-Act-of-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">letter<\/a> that \u200chis bill, \u2064the \u201cEvidence-Based Gun Violence Reduction and Prevention Act of 2023,\u201d is modeled after Baltimore and San Francisco, which he\u2064 claims \u201chave adopted successful \u2063initiatives like this.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The bill, which has the support of seven of the council\u2019s\u200b twelve members,\u200b says:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The \u200cMetropolitan Police Department \u200dis hereby\u2063 authorized \u2062to employ and allow civilian personnel to investigate \u200cthe following types of incidents\u2064 when there is no \u200cexpected suspect contact:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Commercial burglary<\/li>\n<li>Residential burglary<\/li>\n<li>Motor vehicle theft<\/li>\n<li>Theft<\/li>\n<li>Forgery<\/li>\n<li>Fraud<\/li>\n<li>Other property crime investigations<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Property\u200d crimes threaten \u2062to derail D.C. as a viable business and commerce center. Property crime has risen <a href=\"https:\/\/mpdc.dc.gov\/page\/district-crime-data-glance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">25%<\/a> \u200c since \u2064last year. Theft other than cars is the most common crime in the\u200d district, \u200cand it has surged dramatically this year, from 905 cases in January to 1,400 in November.<\/p>\n<p>This week, robbers stole a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fox5dc.com\/news\/dc-chanel-store-ransacked-by-thieves-armed-with-fire-extinguisher-police\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/prosecutors-offer-plea-deal-to-nyc-lawyers-who-firebombed-police-vehicle\/\" title=\"Prosecutors Offer Plea Deal to NYC Lawyers Who Firebombed Police Vehicle\">quarter-million dollars<\/a><\/a> in merchandize from the Chanel store in City\u2063 Center, \u2063a luxury shopping\u200c area. The store is also near the sports\u200c arena where the Washington Capitals and Washington\u200c Wizards play. The sports teams\u2019 \u2062owners last week announced their intent to move\u2062 to Virginia \u2064amidst a sense of rampant crime around the stadium.<\/p>\n<p>The move to civilian investigators is likely to bolster the already-present\u200c sense that there\u2064 will be \u2064no\u2062 accountability for theft. Someone from \u200dthe police department may\u2064 come and take\u2063 down \u200da report,\u2063 but\u2064 that is often the last action they will take.<\/p>\n<p>According to a Daily Wire review \u2062of police data, in 2022 there were <a href=\"https:\/\/mpdc.dc.gov\/page\/district-crime-data-glance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">18,650<\/a> instances of theft (excluding the stealing of cars) and only <a href=\"https:\/\/mpdc.dc.gov\/publication\/mpd-adult-arrests-2013-2021\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">729 arrests<\/a> of adults \u200bwhere\u2062 theft was the top\u200c charge, and <a href=\"https:\/\/mpdc.dc.gov\/page\/biannual-reports-juvenile-arrests\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">17 arrests<\/a> of juveniles, excluding cases where the arrest was expunged. That would amount to less than a\u200d 4%\u200c clearance \u2063rate.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2064 legislation says civilian\u2063 investigators would not have \u2063badges or \u2063guns and could not \u200dmake arrests.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cInvestigators shall be issued a \u2062uniform that is substantially different in color and style from that of a sworn\u2064 officer of the Metropolitan Police Department,\u201d and \u2063\u201cany vehicles issued to or used by \u2062an investigator shall not bear markings or symbols that identify the vehicle as a police cruiser\u2064 or patrol vehicle,\u201d it says.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Asked\u200b whether the move\u2062 represents throwing in \u200cthe towel on property crimes, a spokeswoman for Mendelson referred The Daily Wire \u200bto the\u200b letter for evidence of the idea\u2019s history of success.<\/p>\n<p>According to a \u2064news story \u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/inpursuit.news21.com\/2022\/09\/20\/police-hire-more-civilians-investigators-shore-up-ranks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cited<\/a> by Mendelson, the idea comes from \u200bMesa, Arizona,\u200c when George Gascon was\u200b police chief. Gascon \u2062went on to\u200c become police chief in San Francisco, where he took the idea with\u2063 him. Gascon also promoted \u2064no-cash bail and treating people up to 24\u2062 years old\u2063 as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecut.com\/2017\/04\/san-francisco-is-trying-to-lock-up-fewer-young-adults.html\">essentially youth<\/a> \u2014 a similar policy to the one that D.C. law enforcement \u200bhas\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/dc\/2023\/12\/10-teens-charged-in-carjacking-conspiracies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">blamed<\/a> for the\u200c epidemic of carjackings.<\/p>\n<p>The mayor of San Francisco declined to endorse Gascon for Los\u2062 Angeles district attorney after his soft-on-crime policies there. He won the Los Angeles prosecutor position, but faced calls for\u2064 a recall as property crimes surged.<\/p>\n<p>During the\u200d defund-the-police movement of 2022, Baltimore also\u200d adopted the idea, slashing \u206330 \u200dpolice positions and \u2063replacing them with 30 civilian \u201cinvestigators.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Following years of anti-police\u200d rhetoric and soft-on-crime policies by politicians, D.C. is \u200chaving a\u200b difficult time recruiting police, and the legislation says the civilians are not intended to replace police positions,\u200d but\u2064 to deal with the fact that police are \u2063stretched thin dealing with violent crime and it is unable \u2062to attract more sworn officers.<\/p>\n<p>In 2018, DC had 261 police recruits,\u200b which \u200bdeclined to <a href=\"https:\/\/mpdc.dc.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/dc\/sites\/mpdc\/publication\/attachments\/Staffing%20%26%20%20Attrition%20November%202023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">only 37<\/a> in 2021. In fiscal\u200c year 2023, it was \u2062130, according to police department data.<\/p>\n<p>Mendelson\u2019s letter began, \u201cViolent crime \u200cis occurring at levels not\u200c seen in the District since the early 2000s. This year alone, over 260 people have been murdered, and thousands \u2063more have been violently assaulted, robbed, or carjacked. We can and must do\u200b better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a sharp change from\u2063 just\u2064 a few months ago, when those who warned\u200d of soaring crime \u200bwere dismissed as conservatives peddling conspiracy theories. In March, Mendelson told Congress \u201cthere \u2062is not a\u200c crime crisis in Washington, D.C.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What were the mixed results of Gascon&#8217;s approach to crime in San Francisco,\u2064 specifically regarding property crimes and public satisfaction?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Until their arrest, regardless of the crime committed.\u200d According to\u200d the article,\u2064 Gascon&#8217;s approach in San Francisco has been met with mixed results, with an increase in\u2062 property crimes and \u2062public dissatisfaction.<\/p>\n<p>The decision to employ civilian investigators in\u2063 Washington, D.C. has \u2062sparked concerns among residents and business owners. With \u200bproperty crimes on the\u2064 rise and a low clearance rate for theft cases, there is \u2063a\u2063 growing sense of frustration and fear of\u2064 impunity among the\u200c community.<\/p>\n<p>The bill proposes that civilian personnel be\u200c authorized to investigate commercial and residential burglaries, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/thieves-steal-cars-then-commit-armed-robberies-yet-its-the-cars-fault\/\" title=\"Car thefts and subsequent armed robberies: Blaming the cars?\">motor \u2063vehicle theft<\/a>, \u2062theft, forgery, fraud, and other property crimes. These civilian investigators would not have badges or guns and would not be able \u200bto make arrests. They\u2064 would be issued\u200c distinct \u200duniforms and vehicles \u2063that do not\u200d resemble those of sworn officers of the\u200b Metropolitan Police Department.<\/p>\n<p>Proponents of the bill,\u200b including Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, argue that similar initiatives in Baltimore and San Francisco have yielded positive results. However, critics point\u200b out the increase in property crimes in\u2064 San Francisco \u2062under Gascon&#8217;s leadership. They argue that \u200bthe move \u2062to employ civilian investigators in Washington, D.C. may further contribute to a sense of lawlessness and hinder efforts to address property\u200c crimes effectively.<\/p>\n<p>The article highlights the recent \u2063incident\u200c at a luxury\u200d store in City Center, where robbers stole a quarter-million\u2064 dollars&#8217; worth of merchandise. \u200dThis incident, along with the announcement\u200b of the sports teams&#8217; owners&#8217;\u200c intention to move due \u2062to concerns about\u2062 crime around the stadium, further \u200bunderscores the urgent need for action.<\/p>\n<p>Data cited in the article reveals a troubling\u2063 clearance rate for theft cases in Washington, D.C., with only a small fraction resulting in\u2062 arrests. This lack of \u200baccountability for \u2063property crimes \u2063not only impacts individual victims but also threatens the city&#8217;s reputation \u2062as a viable business\u2064 and commerce center.<\/p>\n<p>As\u2062 the bill gains support among the council members, it is essential to\u200b consider the potential consequences of \u2064relying \u2064heavily\u2064 on\u200b civilian investigators. Balancing the need to address active violent crimes while effectively dealing \u200dwith property\u2064 crimes requires careful consideration and a comprehensive strategy.<\/p>\n<p>The public&#8217;s safety and confidence in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/president-trump-please-pardon-jon-woods-a-victim-of-process-crimes-like-michael-flynn\/\" title=\"President Trump, Please Pardon Jon Woods, a Victim of Process Crimes Like Michael Flynn\">criminal justice system<\/a> should remain paramount.\u200c While \u2063exploring innovative approaches to address \u2063resource \u2064constraints, \u200bit is crucial to ensure that the\u2064 proposed measures do not inadvertently compromise\u200c public safety or exacerbate the problem they aim to solve.<\/p>\n<p>As the\u200d debate continues, it is vital for policymakers, law\u200c enforcement agencies,\u200c and\u2063 community leaders\u2064 to engage in a constructive dialogue to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/group-that-allegedly-committed-10-armed-robberies-in-30-minutes-caught-on-camera-its-very-shocking\/\" title=\"10 armed robberies in 30 minutes caught on camera by alleged group, shocking.\">find effective solutions<\/a>. This includes considering alternative approaches, exploring potential collaborations between law enforcement and other stakeholders, and ensuring that any decisions made\u200c are evidence-based and relevant to the unique\u2064 challenges faced by Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the objective should be to strike a balance between addressing the urgent need\u2063 to combat \u2063violent crimes and\u200b maintaining effective mechanisms to tackle property crimes. By doing \u2064so, the\u200b city can work\u2062 towards\u200d creating\u2063 a safe and \u200bsecure environment\u200b for all its\u2062 residents and businesses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With soaring murder rates, Washington, D.C. may deploy unarmed civilians to investigate property crimes, as police resources dwindle. The city council supports a bill permitting &#8220;civilian investigators&#8221; to handle theft cases. This measure aims to address the pressing issue while ensuring police focus on tackling the escalating violence plaguing the nation&#8217;s capital<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":128,"featured_media":2131188,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2131187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2131187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/128"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2131187"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2131187\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2131188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2131187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2131187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2131187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}