I sometimes joke that coffee is the drug of choice in DC, so when Slate had an article about the closing of Starbucks nationwide, I had to check and see which of my dealers were getting whacked. If I’m looking at the map right, only one on L Street is getting axed—and given that it’s not close to many residences or offices, I can’t say it’s a surprise. I actually walk by it on my way to work.
There are two Starbucks closer to my office; I pass by three others on my morning walk to the office before I get to the one on L street. Bear in mind that in this two mile stretch I can think of six different ‘bucks, and one is closing—and we have approximately three zillion other locations in this city as it is. I would say that the rocky economic times aren’t hitting this company town very hard. Then again, the pain DC causes usually affects the rest of the world rather than here, so this shouldn’t surprise me.
Hubbard posted this at 12:49 PM EDT on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008 as Denizens of DC
We’ve had a spate of killings here in DC. It’s not just that we’re again in the running for murder capital of the country. It’s worse than usual:
In the first five months last year, Ward 5 recorded eight homicides. As of Sunday, there were 22 homicides in those same neighborhoods. Five killings took place over the weekend.
Although not a Ward 5 resident, I’m getting a bit jumpy. It’s not THAT hard to get from ward to ward: I leave one ward, cross another, and finish in a third every day on my walk to work. (For you residents of normality, there’s only 8 wards, so every day I’m in nearly half of them.) Naturally, there’s pressure to do something. This being DC, however, the city government’s response has less to do with effectiveness and more to do with just doing something—sort of like airport security.
Tom noted this story earlier today when it was a rumor. Now it’s official, and even dumber than I’d feared:
Drivers will have to show identification proving they live in the neighborhood, or explain why they are in the area. Valid reasons would include “attending church, a doctor’s appointment or visiting friends or relatives,” the city said in a statement. Those lacking identification or a reason to be in the neighborhood will be forced to leave.
Similar efforts may be made in other neighborhoods as well, if local police commanders request them, officials said.
“In certain areas, we need to go beyond the normal methods of policing.” Fenty said. “We’re going to go into an area and completely shut it down to prevent shootings and the sale of drugs.”
But despite the tough rhetoric, the program as explained seemed fairly limited in scope. Pedestrians will not be subjected to police checks, for example, and loitering will not be addressed. [emphasis added] While Montello Avenue stretches about seven blocks between Mt. Olivet Road and Florida Avenue, the checkpoints will be in effect only along the 1400 block.
Lanier said the approach is modeled after a program used in New York City. She said police are focusing on cars because there have been a significant numbers of shootings from or into vehicles this year.
Police will search cars if they feel they have probable cause to do so. Drivers who don’t cooperate with the request to produce identification or who object to being refused entrance to the block could face arrest for failing to obey police.
So if I’m loitering around, I can keep an eye out for police and they won’t bug me; I’d just wait till the patrol had moved on before getting down to business. Contrariwise, if a tired tourist gets lost while driving around our insane streets, he’ll get the third degree from police. Beyond that, now that any drug dealer who reads the Washington Post knows where the bulk of the police will be stopping people, what’s going to stop them from moving a few blocks away to continue the drug dealing and shooting?
From everything I know about the New York City programs, the emphases were on foot patrols, police knowing the neighborhood and residents well, and computer tracking of crimes to let cops know which areas needed more patrolling. This program looks like it came out of the TSA airport program. Perhaps they can make drivers take their shoes off, too.