Neighborhood Notes - Foxhall: 12 December 2001
The new DMV Service
center at “Shops at Georgetown Park” is open Saturdays 10 am-4 pm for those
whose work week makes it impractical to use their week-day 10 am - 6 pm hours.
Until mid-2002 services are limited to just renewing driver’s license and
registration, issuing residential parking permits and driver records. For those
who know this mall, the DMV is located
next to the West garage elevators, where the Concierge used to be (the Concierge
is now in the center of the mall, a more useful location).
The balance of police responsibilities between federal and
local duties is under scrutiny by D.C. council, asking valid questions about the
proportion of police devoted to street duties. In their oversight role, there is
temptation to go for “one-size fits all" answers, but we already saw that
did not work with detectives. DC will now have detectives on serious crime
centralized while non-violent crime issues still are handled at district
offices.
When Judiciary Committee adopted the Booz.Allen & Hamilton
community policing study back in 1997, their concept was PSA areas based upon
equal crime load - so some are much larger. Given that MPD
now have their Commander / Captain / Lieutenant structure
fully in place, why not now look at the types of crime and time of day e.g.
devote a higher proportion of assigned PSA staff to day-time traffic in PSA203,
but a higher proportion to late night in PSA205
and 206. Or give 2D's
Commander more flexibility in not just a fixed 20 staff per PSA, but deploy them
across his district based
on actual need. Consider other alternatives that free up police - having
National Guards watching the Georgetown Reservoir, not police; or require DC
traffic court to give officers set dates each month so they waste less time
waiting.
© Bob Andrew, Foxhall
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