With members’ vacation restricted and days off canceled, the Metropolitan Police Department will be fully mobilized throughout the Y2K holiday weekend, providing extra patrols in District neighborhoods and at the city’s millennium events, Chief Charles H. Ramsey said today.
All sworn and essential civilian personnel will be working 12-hour shifts beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 31, and continuing through at least 10 p.m. on January 3. More than 80 percent of the Department’s sworn personnel will be on duty during the critical period from 6 p.m. on December 31 through 4 a.m. on January 1, Ramsey said.
Some of the additional officers will staff 126 Emergency Service Sites throughout the District. These are locations where people can go during the Y2K date change to report a crime or request any type of public safety assistance in case of problems with telephones or other critical services.
"We are working very closely with our federal law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of residents and visitors participating in the District’s millennium celebrations on the National Mall and along Constitution Avenue," Ramsey said. "But the vast majority of our additional resources will be devoted to protecting our neighborhoods."
The Chief added, "We are prepared to provide quality police services in all police districts throughout the holiday weekend, and we are ready to deal with any civil disturbances or other crimes that might be contemplated by those who would use Y2K as an excuse to break the law."
Ramsey outlined the following elements of the Department’s Y2K mobilization plans:
Neighborhood patrols. In all seven police districts , additional officers will be assigned to regular police service area (PSA) patrols, as well specialized patrol operations, Emergency Service Site staffing and expanded district station operations. PSA officers will be paying special attention to gas stations, banks, grocery stores and other essential service sites. Civil disturbance units will also be mobilized and available in each district. All district officers will work in uniform throughout the Y2K holiday weekend.
Millennium celebrations. Members of MPD’s Special Operations Division will oversee crowd and traffic control at the District’s Main Street Millennium celebration along Constitution Avenue, and assist federal agencies with crowd and traffic control around the Millennium Gala and fireworks display on the National Mall. Additional units also will monitor and control sidewalks and intersections around nearby Metro stations and assist Metro Transit Police in controlling entry to the stations and ensuring that platforms do not become overly congested. In addition, a crowd control and traffic detail will be established at the millennium event scheduled for the MCI Center.
Emergency Service Sites. While the District’s 9-1-1 system has been tested as Y2K ready, the MPD has comprehensive backup plans in case people are unable to contact the police or other emergency services because of telephone problems. Beginning at 10 p.m. on December 31, police officers will be stationed at 126 Emergency Service Sites (ESS) throughout the District. These include all District firehouses, as well as various community centers, restaurants, local businesses and other locations. People can go to any ESS to report a crime or to request any type of public safety assistance. ESS officers will have radio communications for contacting the appropriate police, fire or emergency medical resources. These sites will be staffed through at least 5 a.m. on January 1.
Critical intersection control. To support the flow of traffic throughout the District, the Police Department has identified close to 150 critical intersections where police officers will be available to direct traffic in case of problems with signals or congestion. Members of the D.C. National Guard will assist MPD officers with traffic control. Motorists are reminded that if they approach an intersection where the traffic signals are out, they should treat the intersection as a four-way stop. People can find the locations of all Emergency Service Sites and critical intersections on the Police Department’s Web site -- www.mpdc.org -- or by calling the police non-emergency number, 202-727-1010.
Sobriety checkpoints. To protect motorists from drunken drivers, the MPD will establish sobriety checkpoints at various locations in the District throughout the holiday weekend. The legal standard for driving while intoxicated (DWI) in the District is a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08 or higher. As always, partygoers are urged to take public transportation or use a designated driver.
Get more information about drinking and driving in D.C.
"I am confident that residents and visitors who need to reach the police or other emergency services will be able to do so come January 1," Ramsey said. "Our 9-1-1 system has been upgraded and tested, and we will have an unprecedented police presence in all of the District’s neighborhoods. Neighborhood safety remains our number one priority, and we will have sufficient personnel on duty -- both sworn and civilian -- to carry out that mission throughout the Y2K weekend," he added.