But seriously, yes D.C. has always had a big crime problem. I was there just a few months ago and had no problem, but I stayed in a nice hotel in the city center and never wandered out of the touristy areas.
Nation's Capital Declares Crime Emergency
" District of Columbia Police Chief Charles Ramsey declared a crime emergency in the city after Senitt, a volunteer for the potential presidential campaign of former Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner, was killed."
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Declaring a crime emergency is only a short-term response. To have a real and lasting impact on crime, we need to come together as a city and tackle the tough issues at hand: education, families, poverty and the absolutely intolerable levels of crime in our African American communities. We need to stop talking, and start doing.
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Why I Declared a Crime Emergency