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The PSA 305 meeting occurred on November 1st, 2011.  Due to the tremendous increase in crime over the past month there was a large number of residents in attendance as well as MPD, Councilmember Graham, ANC members, Howard University, CSOSA, and local neighborhood associations. 

The U Street Neighborhood Association Public Safety Committee provides summaries of the monthly PSA 305 meetings. We welcome feedback/questions/concerns regarding our summaries and other U Street Neighborhood Association public safety issues. Please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The PSA 305 meeting on November 1st, 2011 was attended by representatives from city agencies and community groups including:

• MPD: Lt. Jova (202-671-7357, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ), Sgt Jackson

• MPD Third District Detectives office – Det. Wesson & Det Sgt Brooks

• U.S. Attorney's Office: no representation

• CSOSA: Mr. Joseph Alston; Eric Shuler

• Howard University Police: officer present

• ANC 1B: Myla Moss

• Mayor's Office of Community Relations and Services: no representation

• Councilmember Graham's Office: CM Graham & John Detaeye

• LeDroit Park Civic Association: Jana Baldwin

• Westminster Neighborhood Association: James Rawlings

• U Street Neighborhood Association: Sushupta Sudarshan, Brian Card, Sharon Dreyfuss

During the meeting, the following current crime issues and follow-up items from previous meetings were discussed:

• There has been a tremendous increase in crime from previous month. Lt Jova said a 300% increase in violent crime in the last 30 days, 78% increase in total crime in the last 30 days.

• MPD Third District Detectives office shared some thoughts on the crime. They claimed that they are closing many of the cases. They claimed many of the offenders are coming from north of PSA 305. While they wouldn't identify specifically where it appears that they were referring to Garfield Terrace.. They claimed most of the cases involved juveniles. They claimed that the majority of increase of crime was related to cell phones being snatched, but the statistics indicate that is not the sole increase. Detectives also claimed that they had made 16 arrests for robberies in the last 3 months. The detectives also shared that they are arresting many juveniles (repeatedly) for robberies multiple times, and seeing them back out on the street. An example was provided of a juvenile arrested three times recently. The detectives shared a story of a suspect who was arrested and gave information to the MPD for what he was looking for to identify houses to burglarize including: open windows; alarm placards for companies that no longer exist; using google maps to identify areas where there isn't much activity during the day; and a process of scoping houses where they go back for several days knocking on doors to see who is home.

• Questions were raised to the detectives about the incidents occurring recently where homes are being burglarized while residents are there over night, but no information was providing if this is a trend that is on the upswing.

• Lt. Jova said he has put 2 undercover officers out to help address some of increase.

• A resident lving near 10th & V Street shared her personal experience of her back door being kicked in, and her neighborhoods door kicked in and the incident being caught on video. http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/capital-land/2011/11/backyard-burglar-strikes-u-street-corridor

• Councilmember Graham expressed concerns with the current juvenile systems in which they are repeated offenses with armed means. A lot of them are repeat offenders/repeatedly arrested. CM Graham discussed a law passed this January that requires MPD to make information available for juveniles who are charged and found guilty three terms. Our understanding is that the DC Attorney General has found that MPD lacks the resources to implement this law.

• CM Graham reportedly that the reimbursables should be receiving funds from the businesses participating near 9th & Florida this week. He also expressed the desire to see reimbursables across U St. as well.

• Stats were posted on the U Street Neighborhood Association Site. From October 1-30th there were 12 stolen autos, 57 thefts from auto, 43 thefts, 14 burglaries, 32 robberies.