Scott McCabe, The Examiner
2007-01-09 08:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

WASHINGTON -

Mayor Adrian Fenty and acting Police Chief Cathy Lanier vowed last week to increase the number of police walking the beat within 100 days.

Their goal is to reduce crime and the fear of crime. Beat-walkers, they said, will increase police presence, improve relations with neighbors and lead to an increase in intelligence gathering.

While the new administration has not said where they’ll increase the foot patrols, Lanier, officers, union leaders and criminologists say beat-walkers are most effective in business districts, public housing areas or where there’s heavy foot traffic.

Here are some places the experts say are most likely to see more police back on the beat:

1. Adams Morgan, 18th NW and Columbia NW — Thousands of people from the Washington area pour into the bars and restaurants, especially on weekends. Adding alcohol to the mix makes the night perfect for robbers and other people looking for trouble. More police officers walking through the crowds could help deter robbers and prevent small incidents from escalating.

2. Carver Terrace, 1100 block of 21st Street NE — The housing complex, two privately owned apartment buildings and surrounding neighborhoods, has been under siege, including another drive-by killing during the weekend. Beat patrols can become more fully engaged with law-abiding citizens as well as the drug dealers, criminals and prostitutes, and let the residents know what is expected.

3. Around the National Mall — Millions of tourists visit the nation’s capital each year. Out-of-towners unfamiliar with the area and carrying valuables make for easier targets.

4. Takoma Park — There’s a lot of pedestrian traffic in this Northwest neighborhood, especially near the Metro stop. Lanier used to walk the beat here and has seen firsthand the difference it can make. She has mentioned Takoma Park as a place where increased foot patrols makes sense.

5. Chinatown, F and Sixth to New York and Pennsylvania — The bustling business district has also attracted its share of criminals. In the last year, just within 1,000 feet of the Verizon Center, there have been 22 robberies, 120 thefts and 21 stolen vehicles.

6. MLK Avenue SE and Calvert Street SE — In the past, foot patrols have made of difference along this small strip of businesses that includes a barber shop and liquor store. Officers walking the street could get to better know the residents and their concerns.

7. H Street Northeast corridor, 400 to 1300 block H Street — The neighborhood along these nine blocks has undergone a major revitalization, but crime elements old and new are taking advantage of the money that has poured in.

8. Georgia Avenue-Petworth Station, 3700 Georgia Avenue NW — Georgia Avenue, known as the city’s “original Main Street,” is making a comeback. High-rise condominiums are quickly sprouting along the main drag, and for-sale signs hang in front of row houses that had been boarded up for 20 years. Neighbors say they’ve noticed an increase in police presence but they’d like to see the officers get out of their cars.

9. Barry Farm, 1326, Stevens Road SE — Residents of this low-income public housing development in Southeast have been demanding more police presence for years. Experts say community policing will help MPD decrease the fear of crime and improve its relationship with residents.

smccabe@dcexaminer.com