Washington DC Police Chief Robert Contee had a few choice words for violent criminals and soft leadership in the city. His comments came during a heated press conference following a shooting on 14th and Riggs, just a few minutes from the White House. This area is also in the prestigious “Logan Circle” neighborhood known for high-end restaurants and residential safety. That safety was broken at around 8:20 pm on Thursday, July 22nd. Two people were injured in a shooting. Outdoor diners and other innocent bystanders were sent running and ducking for cover.
The shooting prompted an over-the-top media response. News coverage interrupted regularly scheduled programming on some national news programs like Fox News. Just five days prior, there was a shooting outside of the Washington Nationals ballpark. An impromptu press conference was held in Logan Circle. Chief Contee was front and center at this press conference where his now-viral comments were made.
Washington D.C. is a big city with a sprawling metropolitan area with a population that overwhelmingly votes for the Democratic Party. There are plenty of cities just like this all over the nation. What these cities have in common aside from size, affluence, and general political affiliation is a sharp uptick in crime since 2020. Certain areas of any city are going to have issues with crime and that is unavoidable. However, the crime problem is manageable if everyone participates that is required to participate. City leadership, law enforcement, and the community (in that order) have the largest ability to protect the citizens of a community.
If police are called to the scene of a violent crime and they successfully arrest suspects but there is never any serious prosecution, then how is it possible to make a dent in the crime problem? Chief Contee spoke about guys who get arrested for violent crimes with illegal guns who are released after a very brief period of time. These guys go on to commit more crimes almost as soon as they are released. One particular part of Washington D.C. has a recidivism rate of 87%. Community leaders can’t do much to protect anyone, especially in cities like Washington. The citizenry generally isn’t allowed to have guns, the leadership does nothing, and the police have their hands tied.
Chief Contee railed against the obvious roadblocks of crime reduction. Feckless city leaders who have bought into “woke” rhetoric of being soft on criminals. Then there are the criminals themselves who engage in brainless violence every day. It is a vicious cycle that has no end in sight unless the roadblocks are removed. Law enforcement around the nation praised the chief for making his remarks. Someone has to say it and at a certain point, something must be done before Washington and other cities like it are lost for good.
SOURCES:
After shootings, D.C. residents ask what city will do: ?What?s in place isn?t working’ – The Washington Post
‘Mad as hell’: DC police chief reacts to gun violence at scene of 14th Street shooting | WTOP
Two people shot near restaurants in DC | wusa9.com
‘Unacceptable’: MPD Chief Robert Contee appears frustrated with violence in update on shooting in DC – YouTube
Top 10 Unsafe Areas in Washington DC! How Safe is this City?
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