Capital One Arena beefs up security as DC struggles with police staffing

[Sunrise]

Capital One Arena beefs up security as DC struggles with police staffing - WTOP News

Monumental Sports owner Ted Leonsis is hiring more D.C. police officers to bulk up security around Capital One Arena on game days.

wtop.com

Monumental Sports confirmed in a statement that it hired 20% more off-duty D.C. police officers on game days over the last season — with up to a dozen officers working each event, on top of those assigned to street closures.

Some additional background here: https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2023/03/23/crime-sports-capital-dc-monumental

Reality is setting in.

 

[Longhorse]

Capital One Arena beefs up security as DC struggles with police staffing - WTOP News

Monumental Sports owner Ted Leonsis is hiring more D.C. police officers to bulk up security around Capital One Arena on game days.

wtop.com

Monumental Sports confirmed in a statement that it hired 20% more off-duty D.C. police officers on game days over the last season — with up to a dozen officers working each event, on top of those assigned to street closures.

Some additional background here: https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2023/03/23/crime-sports-capital-dc-monumental

Reality is setting in.

If it's up to a dozen officers per game with a 20% increase, does that mean they went from around 10 officers per event to 12? That doesn't sound like that big of an increase when looking at the actual number of officers per event.

 

[adit]

DC is a hellhole and cesspool.

Rand Paul staffer brutally stabbed on H St.

A Senate staffer was brutally stabbed in Northeast over the weekend, according to a statement released by the elected official they work for.

Senator Rand Paul issued a statement Monday regarding the incident.


"This past weekend a member of my staff was brutally attacked in broad daylight in Washington, D.C. I ask you to join Kelley and me in praying for a speedy and complete recovery, and thanking the first responders, hospital staff, and police for their diligent actions," the statement reads. "We are relieved to hear the suspect has been arrested. At this time we would ask for privacy, so everyone can focus on healing and recovery."

UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 9: Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., makes his way to a Senate Foreign Relations Committee closed briefing on "Iran: Update on Vienna Discussions, in the Capitol Visitor Center on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call,
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The Metropolitan Police Department says its officers responded to the 1300 block of H Street just before 5:30 p.m. on Saturday night for the report of a stabbing.

The victim, who Senator Paul says works for him, was found suffering from stab wounds in the area. He was taken to the hospital in life-threatening condition.

Glynn Neal, 42, was arrested and charged with assault with intent to kill in connection to the attack.

Federal Bureau of Prisons records show Neal was released from prison on Friday – the day before the stabbing.

He spent nearly 12 Years behind bars for compelling two North Carolina women to engage in prostitution through the use of threats.

Senate staffer victim of stabbing in Northeast

A Senate staffer was brutally stabbed in Northeast over the weekend.

www.fox5dc.com

 

[Sunrise]

It finally got bad enough for The Washington Post:

Opinion | D.C. needs hundreds more police officers. Here’s how to do it right.​

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/03/24/dc-police-hiring-crime/

The Metropolitan Police Department has 411 fewer officers than three years ago because of attrition and struggles in attracting recruits. The force is the smallest it has been in decades, with fewer than 3,400 sworn officers, and D.C. is more dangerous as a result. With 90 percent of D.C. residents now describing the crime problem as serious, it will take years of concerted effort to rebuild the department.

Other statistics also tell the story: The average response time for top-priority calls is one minute and 40 seconds slower than in 2019. The typical patrol officer is responding to 23 percent more calls than five years ago. To perform tasks deemed mission critical, officers had to work more than 1.1 million overtime hours each of the past three years — the equivalent of about 550 additional officers annually.

1:40 slower average response time for top-priority calls (vs FY2019 when the force had 3,810 officers).... All the more reason to avoid DC or carry every time you're in it.

 

[Sunrise]

DC is a hellhole and cesspool.

Rand Paul staffer brutally stabbed on H St.

Senate staffer victim of stabbing in Northeast

A Senate staffer was brutally stabbed in Northeast over the weekend.

www.fox5dc.com

Just terrible. I've been out on H Street NE once. I never went back after that one time. It looked like hipster window dressing on a slum.

 

[Sunrise]

If it's up to a dozen officers per game with a 20% increase, does that mean they went from around 10 officers per event to 12? That doesn't sound like that big of an increase when looking at the actual number of officers per event.

True. I predict we'll see additional increases. They've got 60 officers on their roster to pull from so far.

That whole area gets scary during game time. Coming out of the Metro Exit at 7th and H NW, right by the AT&T Store.... It looks like a gang fight is about to break out every time.

 

[alucard0822]

DC has dozens of agencies, but DC metro alone usually ranks 1st in the nation amongst major cities for most officers per capita. That department is the 6th largest in the nation for the 23rd largest city. The problem isn't the number of officers, IMO it doesn't matter how many you have if they are demonized, the leaders throw them under the bus at every opportunity, and they aren't really allowed to do anything or go into many of the worst neighborhoods.

As far as the OP's article, not sure what to think about. On one hand the stadium uses a ton of resources, so if they need more police than the city can spare, they can pay for more police. On the other they pay a massive amount of taxes, and are filled with citizens those police are sworn to protect and serve, so not sure what the answer is.

 

[Sunrise]

DC has dozens of agencies, but DC metro alone usually ranks 1st in the nation amongst major cities for most officers per capita. That department is the 6th largest in the nation for the 23rd largest city. The problem isn't the number of officers, IMO it doesn't matter how many you have if they are demonized, the leaders throw them under the bus at every opportunity, and they aren't really allowed to do anything or go into many of the worst neighborhoods.

As far as the OP's article, not sure what to think about. On one hand the stadium uses a ton of resources, so if they need more police than the city can spare, they can pay for more police. On the other they pay a massive amount of taxes, and are filled with citizens those police are sworn to protect and serve, so not sure what the answer is.

I see your point about demonization, but look at the current response time for top priority calls: It's off an average of 1:40 from three years ago. There are simply not enough officers to cover the demand (read: crime) and they're risking burnout for the current ones on the force. We're past the point of them not being allowed to do their jobs. There aren't enough to even do what they're allowed to at this point.

There need to be enough officers so some can be permanently stationed at known hotspots like the Metro Entrance at 7th and H St. NW. A police car should be parked there with a couple of officers 24/7.

Capital One can spend as much money as they want on private officer staffing. That's their own money and I don't really care how they spend it. However, it's clear they feel the need to spend it given the substantial crime risk and potential damage to their brand reputation from an incident. This is something they can easily cover by charging an extra dollar for concessions/souvenirs or an extra dollar on a ticket, so it's really a matter of how far they want to take it.

 

[alucard0822]

I see your point about demonization, but look at the current response time for top priority calls: It's off an average of 1:40 from three years ago. There are simply not enough officers to cover the demand (read: crime) and they're risking burnout for the current ones on the force. We're past the point of them not being allowed to do their jobs. There aren't enough to even do what they're allowed to at this point.

There need to be enough officers so some can be permanently stationed at known hotspots like the Metro Entrance at 7th and H St. NW. A police car should be parked there with a couple of officers 24/7.

Capital One can spend as much money as they want on private officer staffing. That's their own money and I don't really care how they spend it. However, it's clear they feel the need to spend it given the substantial crime risk and potential damage to their brand reputation from an incident. This is something they can easily cover by charging an extra dollar for concessions/souvenirs or an extra dollar on a ticket, so it's really a matter of how far they want to take it.

Not sure, hard to look at a problem like crime in DC and see it as a purely numbers thing. There are departments that do a lot better with far fewer resources. Big difference if the response time increase is due to a lack of units vs poor organization and too many assigned to less critical things.

 

[Sunrise]

Not sure, hard to look at a problem like crime in DC and see it as a purely numbers thing. There are departments that do a lot better with far fewer resources. Big difference if the response time increase is due to a lack of units vs poor organization and too many assigned to less critical things.

We're at the point where it's a numbers thing. Chief Lanier warned what would happen if the force ever got below 3.800 officers.... and it's happening just as she said. (MPD is under 3,400 officers now.)

See these MPD Staffing Reports: https://mpdc.dc.gov/node/1635891

Staffing Report March 2023 (PDF): https://mpdc.dc.gov/sites/default/f...achments/Staffing_Report_MAR_2023_updated.pdf

You can compare the specific unit staffing levels over time vs. past reports posted there. There are simply not enough officers on the force to do the job.

Now are far as criminals go: It's time for DC to build another prison and use it. You can blame the Courts for why criminals aren't off the streets. I call this practice radical empathy.

 

[Sunrise]

Not sure, hard to look at a problem like crime in DC and see it as a purely numbers thing. There are departments that do a lot better with far fewer resources. Big difference if the response time increase is due to a lack of units vs poor organization and too many assigned to less critical things.

When looking at the numbers, it's also important to account for the fact the population of DC essentially doubles during the workday (and it also swells on weekends due to tourism).

This drops the Per-Capita Officer figure nearly in half.