(Washington, DC) -- Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Chief of Police Cathy L. Lanier announced today the kick off of the ALL HANDS ON DECK Summer Crime Initiative.
All sworn members of the Metropolitan Police Department will work 12 hour shifts this weekend starting today at 6 am and ending at 6 pm on Sunday, June 10th. All members will be out on patrol focusing on violent offenders, traffic safety, criminal enforcement and nuisance abatement and other offenses.
The Summer Crime Initiative is intended to curb traditional spikes in crime during the summer months. Officers will work the 12-hour shifts in hopes of avoiding the summer crime emergencies of past years. Overtime cost for this weekend’s ALL HANDS ON DECK will be approximately $1.3 million. Throughout the summer, District commanders will employ strategies that will target violent offenders, theft, robbery, prostitution, traffic safety compliance, neighborhood mediation.
“This initiative is designed with every community in every Ward in mind. The goal of this initiative is to reduce crime and build community trust by putting more officers on the streets and increasing police visibility to deter crime,” said Chief Lanier. "All seven of my District commanders have been working for months, and have formulated community-tailored strategies to fight crime in the neighborhoods they are sworn to protect.”
“There is nothing more important than protecting the safety and well-being of everyone who lives, works and visits the District of Columbia. This redeployment of officers, in combination with community outreach, is a novel and proactive approach that will be a definite aid in crime prevention this summer,” said Mayor Fenty.
The community-focused deployment of officers will continue throughout the summer, and will include border patrols, arrest warrant reviews, emergency response drills, crime prevention and safety awareness seminars, senior citizen outreach.