Over the past several months, the Washington DC Metropolitan Area has seen a surge in homicides. As of September 10, 2015 there have been 109 reported cases of homicides in the DC area, a 45% increase from all of last year. According to statistics gathered by the Washington Post, these killings are not confined to any specific area of DC.
While there has been a significant increase in the number of homicides in comparison to the last four years, the statistics are still notably better when compared to the DC crime rates during the earlier 2000’s, where the annual homicide count averaged around 200. According to DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier, a notable portion of violent crimes were caused by ex-convicts recently released from prison. “We are seeing far too many of our repeat violent offenders out here being reckless with firearms over and over again,” Lanier stated at a news conference.
On May 15 of this year, after a suspicious fire in one of Northwestern DC’s mansions, firefighters found the murdered bodies of Savvas and Amy Savapolus, their son, and their housekeeper. After extensive investigation, Police discovered the DNA of Daron Wint, who had supposedly held the family hostage for hours before killing them. Wint had been convicted three times in the past for charges such as assault, sex offence, burglary and property destruction, but had never been found guilty.
A few weeks later, 16-year old Malek Mercer was shot down shortly after getting off a bus. Mercer, who suffered wounds to his neck, died after being hospitalised. Police investigators tracked down Derryck Decuir, who had reportedly opened fire on Mercer and his friend after Mercer refused to give him his designer belt. Decuir had been previously sentenced to three years in prison after he was found hiding outside a high school wearing a ski mask and carrying a loaded handgun.
While numerous homicides are being traced back to repeat offenders, many inside the Police Force are looking elsewhere for the rise in crime in DC. According to a statement by The Fraternal Order of Police, the rise has been a result of policies restricting police officers from doing what they needed to do in order to protect the community. They further pleaded the city’s officials to “to stop sacrificing the safety of our communities for what amounts to political correctness.”
Recently, over 1,100 police officers voted that they had no confidence in Lanier during an informal online petition organised by Fraternal Order of Police labor union. However, only 1,150 officers of the Police Union’s 3,600 took part in the vote.
On the other hand, activists are arguing against giving police more powers. Mayor Muriel Bowser faced shouts of opposition from Black Lives Matter activists while announcing a new crime initiative that would allow police officers to check up on ex-convicts recently released from prison.
While Lanier has been facing criticism from both sides over how to respond to the rise in violent crimes in DC, she has been defended by Mayor Bowser, who argued that “after 25 years of policing these streets, deploying officers and strategies, building a force of highly qualified officers and police leaders, in the good times and the tough times, too, I have every confidence in Chief Lanier.”
By Michael Sloboda
