Takoma DC Neighborhood Association, Inc.  – General Membership Meeting

February 27, 2007 at 7:30 PM  Promised Land Baptist Church

 

1.                   Welcome - Julie Schor

 

2.                   Reviewed and approved agenda

 

3.                   Approval of minutes from 1/23 meeting

 

4.                   Captain Michael Jacobs (MPD):

 

a.       Distributed “Draft Outline of the Fourth District 100 Day Plan.” (The 100 day plan starts on 3/1/07.) There will be 16 permanent foot beats Monday through Friday from noon to 8:00pm.  One beat will be near the metro.

b.       Stated that since 1/1/07, there have been seven crimes in the area – 5 robberies and 2 assaults with a deadly weapon. People have been robbed walking to and from the metro.  Robberies generally take place between 10:00pm and 4:00am. 

c.       Responded to a question by Sara Green regarding the boundaries.

d.       Responded to a question by Dodie Butler concerning communication by stating that communication is something that the officers are working on and that he believes that they are getting better.  Julie Schor mentioned the 4-D listserv and Officer Heather Straker stated that she has instructions for those who want to join.

e.       Responded to a question by Elinor McCain regarding the assault on a teenager on 4th Street which the neighborhood did not get prompt notice.  Captain Jacobs stated that they are working on getting out crime information to the neighborhood, but have encountered difficulty and the PSA lieutenant in charge of that works five days a week, so there is no round-the-clock staffer who can issue such communications.

f.        Contact info – 202-715-7486 or Michael.jacobs@dc.gov.

 

5.                   Commander Hilton Burton (MPD):

 

a.       Invited those in attendance who are concerned about communication to attend the regularly scheduled PSA 401 meetings.  He also mentioned the 4-D listserv, which lists all crimes in the area, and spoke of the need to designate someone to get the information out to the community.

b.       Mentioned the 100 Day Plan and stated that he has meet with the new police chief to implement the plan which aims to reinvigorate community policing. 

c.       Insisted that the community had input during numerous PSA meetings despite Dodie Butler’s comment that there was no meaningful community input.

d.       Discussed coverage in the Takoma area metro. Stacey Mills stated that she co-chaired the original task force when 4-D responsiveness to the neighborhood was very high and there was strong collaboration in the area of the metro.  Burton responded that there is one police force and that the MPD covers 4th Street, particularly when students leave Coolidge.  He stated that the evening staff in our area consists of 50 officers.

e.       Discussed the Safe Takoma initiative in which officers from DC and Takoma Park, Maryland have been working for the last six months to formalize the relationship between the police and the community.  He mentioned that the suspect in a homicide in Takoma Park lived in 4-D.

f.        In response to a question from Gloria Kirk regarding civilians in the police force, Burton stated that while the majority of staff in the station are officers, there are numerous civilians at desk jobs (for example processing parking permits), as well as serving as cell block technicians.

g.       Responded to Kathleen Sullivan’s question about safety concerns walking home from metro, by commenting on the series of crimes in the last two months.  He stated that three juveniles involved in robberies were locked up.  His staff is looking at patterns in the recent crimes and uniformed and non-uniformed officers are patrolling the area.  He has asked for 5 more cameras in 4-D, including one on 4th Street, between Cedar and Butternut.  Captain Jacobs added that in the city, there will be crime and urged residents to use common sense.

h.       In response to a question by Luke Turner, Barton commented that crime is seasonal, and that crime in major cities rose last year. Also, during the 2006 Crime Emergency, the police force kept a lid on crime.

 

6.                   Ronald Ricucci, Chief of Police, Takoma Park, MD Police Department: 

 

a.       Introduced himself. Although he has been on the job only six days, he is not new to the area, having worked in Montgomery County for 26 years.  He served in Louisville, Kentucky for 5 years as well in Front Royal, Virginia for five years. He retired to Florida, but decided to return to Takoma Park as Police Chief.

b.       Spoke about community policing and the need to work together, particularly through the Safe Takoma initiative.

c.       Stated that they are catching up regarding new technologies.

d.       Urged attendees to get involved by coming to meetings and calling the police when you see suspicious activity.

e.       Contact information?

 

7.                   Sergeant Howard Holloway, Metro Transit Police Department:

a.       Stated that the transit police is one tenth the size of MPD and covers Maryland and Virginia as well as DC.  They work with local agencies.

b.       In response to a question by Sara Green, Holloway stated that he reviewed the records for the last six months for crimes at Takoma metro and found no incidents.

c.       With respect to posting information about crimes mentioned by Stacey Mills (and others), Holloway stated that there is no bulletin board to post notices, but that he would look into it.

d.       Stated that the new General Manager of metro is committed to working with the community. 

e.       His contact information is – 202-962-2121, hholloway@wmata.com.

 

8.                   Seth Grimes, Safe Takoma-Cross Jurisdictional Crime Prevention Program:

a.       Spoke of the history of Safe Takoma, a citizens’ initiative, which was started after the murder of Katie Lynn Hill.

b.       Working with Takoma Park council member Joy Austin Lane, (then) DC council member Adrian Fenty and DC council member Phil Mendelson, Safe Takoma won $150,000 - $75,000 from each jurisdiction.  They hope the funds will be released in March 2007. 

c.       Safe Takoma plans to hire a program director and engage community members. They have office space in the Old Takoma area.

d.       Stated that he started Alert Takoma, a listserv of 180 people.

e.       The co-founder is Julie Schor and co-chairs include ANC Commissioners Sara green and Faith Wheeler.

f.        His contact information – 301-873-8225, grimes@altaplana.com.

 

9.                   Ann Grant with the MPD Research Unit urged attendees to fill out the Metropolitan Police Community Survey by March 14.

 

10.               Officer Heather Straker (MPD) brought numerous brochures, including notices of upcoming meetings, crime reports, tips on crime prevention for seniors, and tips on avoiding many crimes such as theft, robbery, assaults, scams, identity theft and auto theft. Contact info - (202) 715-7411, heather.straker@dc.gov. 

 

11.               Julie Schor asked people to consider joining Orange Hats, our area neighborhood watch group.  This is a commitment of one hour per month.  On specified nights, groups of 5 or so walk through the neighborhood talking to neighbors, picking up trash and reporting suspicious activity.

 

12.               Introduction of candidates running for Ward 4 council seat:

 

a.       Michael Brown

b.       T.A. Uqdah

 

13.               Announcements –

a.       Dodie Butler mentioned the fire the previous night at 602 Butternut, stating that the family got assistance from the Red Cross, including accommodations.

b.       Stacey Mills mentioned the Beyond Black History event on Saturday.

c.       Next TDCNA Board Meeting is March 13. The next TDCNA General Meeting is March 27 and the topic will be neighborhood services.

d.       March PSA Meetings: PSA 401 Meeting is March 10 at 11AM, at the Shepherd Park Library, 7420 Georgia Avenue, and PSA 402 Meeting is March 21 at 7PM at the MPD-4D Station, 6001 Georgia Avenue.

 

Attendance: 25 people

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:00 pm.