On the Mayor's Six-Step Proposal to Curb Crime

Outgoing DC Mayor Anthony Williams has outlined a "Six-Step Proposal to Curb Crime" in the wake of a July murder spree. The Mayor's letter to the Council can be found here.

Let me shortly sum up what I think of the Mayor's "proposal" - it stinks. Rather than working to fix the failing Police Department structure, the Mayor is proposing installing surveillance cameras in the city, and naturally, he has a laundry list of feel good things* the District needs to spend money on immediately.

The problem isn't that the Police don't have the tools to do their jobs, the problem is that they aren't doing their jobs. Why in God's name would you give a failing incompetent agency MORE authority? The MPD doesn't need new tools to allow them watch DC residents. What they need to do is tell the police union to take a flying leap. They need a police chief who actually knows what the heck he is doing.

The Mayor fundamentally doesn't get it. The failing DC bureaucracy needs reform from top to bottom. It doesn't need more of our tax dollars, nor should residents be asked to sacrifice their civil liberties just because the MPD can't do its job.

*Note - The laundry list of feel good things that nanny DC wants to spend your money on includes such obviously governmental functions like this tid bit:

$75,000 (annual: $300,000) to continue girl gang/crew mediation and peace-building initiative in Wards 5, 6, 7 and 8. This initiative involves peer mediation activities, summer employment opportunities, leadership development, and a retreat for gang/crew members.