Park View commissioner seeks written response following another shooting and months of unresolved resident complaints
WASHINGTON — Commissioner Brad Howard (1E01) today called on the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to develop a sustained public safety strategy for the 700 block of Otis Place NW, where residents have reported months of open-air drug dealing, public intoxication, fights, late-night disturbances, trespassing and multiple shootings.
In a letter to Fourth District Commander Nikki Lavenhouse, Howard said residents have repeatedly raised concerns through 911 calls, emails, ANC meetings and community walkthroughs but have seen no lasting improvement.
Those concerns escalated on April 5, when a shooting occurred in the middle of the block near homes where children live and play. Several residents had reportedly contacted 911 before the shooting.
“Residents have called 911, attended meetings, organized cleanups and worked directly with MPD. They have done their part, but the same dangerous conditions keep returning,” said Howard. “Temporary crackdowns and one-time community walks are not enough. We need MPD to explain what has failed and put forward a sustained strategy before another person is hurt.”
Howard requested that MPD provide a written response addressing:
- Why previous enforcement strategies have not produced lasting results;
- MPD’s spring and summer crime-prevention plan for the area;
- Whether nuisance-property enforcement, stationary surveillance or targeted overtime shifts could be used;
- Whether MPD can provide consistent foot patrols rather than relying primarily on vehicle patrols;
- How MPD is coordinating with Cure the Streets, the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement and other violence-interruption programs; and
- How MPD will measure progress and regularly report results to residents.
Howard also asked MPD to identify any additional officers, technology, funding or legal authority it needs so that neighborhood leaders can seek support from the D.C. Council or Mayor’s office.
“Residents are not asking for an unrealistic promise that crime will disappear overnight,” said Howard. “They are asking for basic safety, honest answers and a plan that produces results lasting longer than a few days.”
Howard requested a written response from MPD by May 9 and offered to meet with Fourth District leadership to discuss next steps.
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About Commissioner Brad Howard
Elected in 2024, Commissioner Brad Howard is serving his first term representing Single Member District 1E01, which covers northern Park View, on Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E. ANC 1E is the elected neighborhood commission serving Park View, Pleasant Plains, and the Howard University area and advises District officials and agencies on matters affecting those communities.
Unless expressly identified as an official action or position of ANC 1E, the views expressed and actions described in this release are those of Commissioner Howard in his capacity as the elected representative for 1E01 and do not speak for the Commission as a whole. ANC 1E establishes official positions by vote at a properly noticed public meeting and may authorize designated representatives to communicate those positions.
ANC 1E 