The D.C. Council took steps Tuesday that effectively extended several emergency crime bills through the spring, but many people who live in areas most impacted by crime don鈥檛 feel the work the city has done so far is helping.
When asked if she鈥檚 seen improvement, Trace Cobb, who lives in the Anacostia neighborhood, said, 鈥淎bsolutely not.鈥�
As she walked down Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, she pointed out the spot where a recent shooting occurred and said she鈥檚 feared for her life several times.
鈥淭here have been several times I’ve had to dive on the ground,鈥� she said.
Cobb said she would like to see more of a police presence in the neighborhood.
homicides are up 38% in the city so far this year, with a total of 216 killings.
Also in the District this year, there have been 757 carjackings 鈥� that鈥檚 up more than 100% over the same period last year, and according to provided by the city, Wards 7 and 8 see most of the cases.
One man who didn鈥檛 want to share his name due to concerns for his safety said he has been carjacked twice this year 鈥� both times, the carjackers were teenagers. He said, during the most recent instance, the teenager pointed a gun at him and he recalled seeing the green dot from the gun鈥檚 sight on his chest.
鈥淚t鈥檚 scary out here,鈥� he told 91欧美激情.
Some of the legislation this year includes changes that make it easier for judges to hold adults suspected of violent crimes before trial, and make it a felony to fire a gun in public.
While he understands it takes time for legislation to work, he said improvements are not coming fast enough.
鈥淚 don’t want to say there’s no hope but, man, it’s so hard,鈥� he said.
He called for more police officers to come into the community and get to know people. He also said he would like city officials, including the mayor, to come out into Wards 7 and 8 more often and talk to residents.
Marbury Baker of Southeast said he also doesn鈥檛 feel the steps taken have made the streets safer. He said the city needs to fast-track projects which would provide safe activities for teenagers, including the addition of more recreational centers.
鈥淭hey need to give the youth something to do,鈥� Baker said.
鈥淚t’s really gotten worse,鈥� said Belinda Robinson of Southeast. 鈥淎nd it’s like nobody cares.”
She said her community often feels forgotten. She urges those in charge to visit the hardest-hit areas more frequently 鈥� before things worsen.
鈥淕o to Ward 7, go to Ward 8, make yourself more visible,” Robinson said. “What are we going to do? Wait until we lose the war? Because it is a battle.”
