Lanier plans to seal off rough ’hoods in latest effort to stop wave of violence

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: The Examiner

WASHINGTON (Map, News) -

D.C. police will seal off entire neighborhoods, set up checkpoints and kick out strangers under a new program that D.C. officials hope will help them rescue the city from its out-of-control violence.

Under an executive order expected to be announced today, police Chief Cathy L. Lanier will have the authority to designate “Neighborhood Safety Zones.” At least six officers will man cordons around those zones and demand identification from people coming in and out of them. Anyone who doesn’t live there, work there or have “legitimate reason” to be there will be sent away or face arrest, documents obtained by The Examiner show.

Lanier has been struggling to reverse D.C.’s spiraling crime rate but has been forced by public outcry to scale back several initiatives including her “All Hands on Deck” weekends and plans for warrantless, door-to-door searches for drugs and guns.

Under today’s proposal, the no-go zones will last up to 10 days, according to internal police documents. Front-line officers are already being signed up for training on running the blue curtains.

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/a-1423820~Lanier_plans_to_seal_off_rough__hoods_in_latest_effort_to_stop_wave_of_violence.html

[Poll_Blind]

1. Mommy, why does the barbed wire point IN? n/t

PB

[SpiralHawk]

41. The D.C. Green Zones. Why don't the republicons do some of their nation building here...

at home in America -- instead of sending billions and billions of our tax dollars to the Middle East to enrich their oil, munitions & mercenary cronies?

[sofa king]

49. Because DC needs a plan that actually works!

Thanks for the Alley Oop there, SpiralHawk.

[Theres-a]

2. This sounds creepy to me. nt

[raystorm7]

12. Welcome to the Palestinian life, but in our America the 5% Rich rule over the 95% Americans

[clixtox]

44. Five percent?

The very rich and the super rich, those greedy folks who control almost every meaningful aspect of our exasperating existence probably number closer to .01%, or less, of Americans.

Fewer than a quarter million, perhaps actually a lot fewer.

They are absolutely kicking ass(especially middle-class ass) in the class war lately, and for the last 100 years a least.

And don't be naive, ingenuous enough to not believe that there is a class war raging.

Please...

[Beausoleil]

3. Are we bringing democracy to DC now?

It works so well in Baghdad.

[Mike Daniels]

46. A Democratic city administration is responsible for this

not the federal government

[Beausoleil]

50. The point is how much the bar has been lowered

for those in government to ignore the Constitution. It's the same mindset that some Democrats in Congress have, that anything is permissible if you use safety and security as your excuse, the rights of the people be damned.

The fact that Democrats control the city government in DC (which has been the case for decades) makes it even worse.

[Taverner]

4. "...plans for warrantless, door-to-door searches for drugs and guns"

I'm not sure which is scarier

[DS1]

5. What wave of violence?

First I've heard of it

[DCKit]

17. 5, 6 and 8 murders each of the last three weekends in NE DC. n/t

[amandabeech]

24. Some have been drive-bys. Those things are really nasty.

I know that somehow the violence has to be ended quickly, but this seems a little extreme.

I agree that long-term, decent jobs, schools and housing are key to solving the problem, though.

[PSPS]

6. What, no guard towers?

It's funny in a sardonic way that we're institutionalizing this ghettoization within the nation's capital.

[ogsbee]

56. Did you say guard towers?

The NYPD already uses these. Bloomberg, the soft talking fascist, uses one to protect his totalitarian buddies, the Chinese consulate, at 42nd St. and West St.

Similar thread in the Gungeon:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x174436

[thunder rising]

7. Can't be the unemployment/underemployment and bleak future thats the root

It's always that there are EVIL people and their numbers are growing.

[liberal N proud]

8. What is this Baghdad?

This is America for Gods sake

[Book Lover]

9. DCist has a good conversation going on about this

http://dcist.com/2008/06/04/mpd_to_seal_off.php

[Blue State Bandit]

10. A point of query,

who's executive order will be enacted? The mayor's office?

[madmusic]

11. Anyone willing to reconsider the police state now?

Waiting until the trains start tooting will be too late.

[Dogtown]

13. "No Go Zones"

This is a ghetto. They're talking about forming a ghetto.

The only other picture that fits (forgive my age-based frame of reference) is the protected hamlets of Viet Nam.

[On the Road]

14. Except That the Non-Ghetto Areas are Probably the Minority

so it's the west-of-the-park places that are being isolated.

I would want to see a map and where the checkpoints are before forming an opinion. If it saves lives and does not infringe on rights, it's worth looking at. I don't see how it could be a permanent thing simply from a force point of view. In no case should there be warrantless searches.

[Dogtown]

15. I see your point; "safe zones"

We (taxpayers) get to pay for "Gated Communities" where the wealthy will be safe.

That does seem to mirror their tactical isolationism in Iraq.

[On the Road]

19. I Know This Isn't a Popular Point of View

but in urban areas with a crime wave, human safety is a value. I wouldn't want to get rid of something that can save lives without examining whether there's a legitimate way to go about it that respects civil rights.

Like the street cameras they have in Baltimore. Very visible (purple light). Creates a real deterrent to crime in a public area without an intrusive police presence.

[Dogtown]

26. It's the climate

Government abuse makes us distrustful.

I suppose the camera's are no more intrusive than having a cop on every corner. Barriers and "safe zones" excluding me from a neighborhood I don't actually live in is pretty extreme, though. I don't think it will work, it will provide even more opportunities for profiling, and I don't want to be stopped and asked for identification unless I've done something wrong.

We've so become the "home of the unbrave" that we're seriously close to being the "land of the unfree".

[ret5hd]

27. What possible ways are there to respect civil rights when...

demanding "papers" of people, restricting peoples movement thru public areas, arresting people for refusing to leave said public areas, etc.?

I, for one, cannot see ANY way.

[On the Road]

60. You Should Never Have People Arrested

for moving through public areas. You cannot have searches conducted without cause. Checkpoints can used only under restricted conditions.

It's hard to form a judgment without seeing it in action. From the description, it could be extremely intrusive and ineffective or be serving its purpose well with little impact.

Urban crime is a legitimate issue. Whatever the long-term causes, it is important to find more effective ways of combatting it. I can't see this as a long-term solution. It's more the attempt to address the issue.

[jody]

16. Those who protest D.C.'s action should propose other solutions. n/t

[Fumesucker]

18. "Neca eos omnes. Deus suos agnoscet."

"Kill then all, God will know His own." Arnaud-Amaury, the Abbot of Citeaux

[clixtox]

45. Ironic...

Your 666th DU post is so appropriately devilish, or are all of your posts number 666?

[Fumesucker]

55. I hadn't noticed..

That is kind of appropriate.

But I get the impression that there are some who would indeed wish them all killed so that God would be able to sort them out.

Ending the drug war (full legalization) would go a long way toward bringing the problems we see under better control.. But that isn't going to happen, it would make too much sense and take too much money out of too many well connected pockets.

[clixtox]

58. I agree 200% with that prescription...

That would be a quick and cheap start to a change in the atmosphere. Obama has said that he would make some changes, like calling off the DEA thugs busting legal, legitimate, medical marijuana utilizers, their providers and caretakers.

[mike_c]

20. living wages, rent control, restoring jobs from offshore, funding social services....

It's a rather long list. Easier to build a ghetto and starve the poor, of course.

[nashville_brook]

21. effective/progressive city planning, economic development, educational opportunities...

the list could go on and on.

[Selatius]

29. No way. It's far easier to turn D.C. into fucking East Berlin than it is to do all that.

This is America, land of the unimaginative and the mediocre.

[nashville_brook]

36. it stuff like this that really saddens me. we're better than this. we had all the power in the world

and look what we've done with it.

[Art_from_Ark]

59. Damn,

East Berlin on the Potomac

[davepc]

22. Have a cit government/police force that aren't bumbling incompetents.

[Jack_DeLeon]

39. Allow the people who live there to own the tools to provide for thier own defense...

hopefully the supreme court decision will make this possible once again.

[bluesmail]

23. Cheney's paranoid, he thinks the whole world is out to get him

:evilgrin:

[keroro gunsou]

38. not paranoid.

just perceptive.

[ohio2007]

25. Sadr City...soon the buzz of drones will replace squad cars.

[buckrogers1965]

28. The founding fathers would arm everyone so they can protect themselves

The founding fathers would never put guards around a neighborhood to protect that neighborhood and constantly harass the people that live there. They would have armed and trained the people to use those arms in order to protect themselves from criminals.

And really, why not?

If you don't trust the people to protect themselves, then you don't live in a democracy anymore.

[12string]

30. Well Mr.pResident

this must be a new tactic in W's war on terror.The terrorists no longer have to "Hate us for our FREEDOM."I certainly can't imagine what could be the core reasons for this growing problem.It couldn't be chronic unemployment,rising fuel and food prices,lack of even basic health care,a phony failed war on drugs etc.,etc.Fuck You Bush and all you fucking neocons everywhere!

[Mike Daniels]

47. DC, the city, is run by a Democratic mayor and majority Democratic party city council

Nice try, but it's Democratic city leaders approving this tactic.

[displacedtexan]

57. I voted for Adrian "Hope & Change" Fenty, too.

I never, in a million years, thought he would do something like this.

Fabius Maximus has more info.

I was on a DC jury last year (a crack cocaine drug bust operation case). There were 20 police officers involved in a sting operation to catch 2 random, very very poor dime bag sellers. It still bothers me how much it must've cost to catch those 2 very little fish, instead of focusing on the bigger drug supplying fish.

[Pavulon]

31. The blame guns meme seems to be failing

time to address root cause. Top cause of death for african americans between 16 - 32, murder. 1 - 9 behind bars.

Better suggestions for combating gang murder welcome.

[ret5hd]

33. I'm sure you could give us ideas if the chiefs name was "Chavez" instead of "Lanier".

Just sayin'.

[Pavulon]

42. Irrelevant post...

dont live in dc dont know lanier. Do know there is a problem.

However someone owes trying something to the families of the victims of out of control crime.

Bulshitting around it is a waste of everyones time.

How the hell is a fat hard left leader of a 3rd world country relevant here.?

[ret5hd]

43. Just sayin' that if an AP wire report came out that Chavez was...

doing the same thing in Caracas you would be full of reasons as to why this was such a bad plan and list all the possible bad consequences.

Of course, the exact same thing would happen if Chavez refused to implement such a plan that was suggested by someone else.

Just sayin'.

[dixiegrrrrl]

32. Lemme tell you what a gated community is like..

I lived in one....only one entrance.
Car licenses taken when you came and left.
NO unplanned visits from anyone, you had to call the "courtesy guard"
and tell them who you were expecting.
' No garage sales could be held, because that would entail "unscheduled" people coming by.

The "courtesy guards" in their little Bavarian cuckoo clock shacks were from rent a guard service, spoke poor English, were poorly paid by management, often ignored resident calls.
After 9 pm anyone coming home from work was stopped for identification check, since the guards changed every few weeks.
Our teenage daughters who worked until 10 pm were not let in until we were called to ok it, despite the fact residents had passes and stickers on the cars.
Non-residents managed to get in easily to sell drugs, because their buyers simply said "let my friend in".
This was a "mixed income" community which had been nice 20 years ago but was in the process of "changing demographics". Nothing fancy at all.
Inconvenient and resented at the time, these were benign procedures compared to the police barricades now being proposed.

I absolutely guarantee that these sealed off and check pointed neighborhoods will eventually have cement walls.
It is logical progression and it is part of a plan.
What kind of political climate would even allow Lanier to think of this?

Bush is turning cities in Iraq into controlled and walled off ghettos, they are using eye and fingerprint id for every Iraqi they can grab, and it is all practice for mass control in this country.


The very idea of checkpoints, of restricted movement, in America would have been unthinkable 10 years ago. But fewer and fewer folks are alive who understand the past ghettos and fascist behavior of the 30's and 40's....
Those who do not learn from history.....

[Gormy Cuss]

53. You're describing a voluntary gated community.

Imagine all that imposed on you just because of your street address. The residents didn't vote for this "protection," it will be imposed on them if Lanier has her way.

According to the Raw Story link, the checkpoints will only target vehicles entering and leaving the neighborhood. Pedestrians will not be stopped --yet. Just wait until the "drive-by" shootings become "walk-bys."

[KamaAina]

34. Meanwhile the criminals at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW continue to come and go as they please

let's see Chief Lanier seal off that high-crime hot spot!!

[HuffleClaw]

35. how can this be legal?

"...the city’s interim attorney general, said the quarantine would have “a narrow focus.”

“This is a very targeted program that has been used in other cities,” Nickles told The Examiner. “I’m not worried about the constitutionality of it.”"

[Jack_DeLeon]

37. Thats some fucked up shit...Let these people have the tools to protect themsevles...

dont lock them up in cages and say "its for thier own safety."

[eilen]

40. DC is not the only ones

doing similar tactics. We have what locally around here is called "the bricks" which are low income Hud housing in which the rents are based on income. They are downtown, right between the downtown area, state hospital and the university. There are rules for HUD housing, no criminal records, no smoking, etc. This is one of the high crime areas and there is frequent traffic through. The residents are mostly females with children, their boyfriends (with the records) "stay over" or just don't officially live there. However their late model Escalades are parked in front. The traffic at night is very heavy, much of it is drug traffic.

Our paper reported plans to make this a "gated community" and only allow traffic inside to residents. This was a while ago and since I don't go to the area frequently, I don't know if they went ahead with it.

[Robbien]

61. shi-it

How much of this is quietly happening all over the nation?

And how much worse will it become . . .

[ogsbee]

48. Here are some of those friendly cameras / Keep moving citizens

Don't kid yourself, the elitopaths have turned on the citizens. You may feel safe if you weren't a Katrina victim, you're not black, you're not from the inner city -- but you'd be a fool. This is a cloth woven from a single thread. The issue here is control (whether carried out by Democratic useful fools or their Repuke masters). Our masters feel they will become richer by throwing U.S. citizens into extreme poverty rather than by sharing the wealth (i.e. the economy is structured to reward financial parasites, no longer a jobs economy). Or to put it another way, they have become frightened of us. This is just the beginning. Passes, walls, gun confiscation -- it's all coming.

Here are the perps:

Chief Cathy L. Lanier



Mayor Adrian Fenty (Wash. D.C.'s Mayor Goode)

[otherlander]

51. This is war!

[Javaman]

52. and the war comes home...

It worked so well in baghdad and in israel, let's do it here!

Yayyyyy!!! our own little Sadr City!!!

:banghead:

[BreweryYardRat]

54. Okay, THAT raised my hackles.

I'm not one to scream "fascism!" at the drop of a hat, but there's two options here.

1: Chief Lanier is so ignorant that she doesn't realize the associations of her plan, in which case she ought to be tossed out on her ass at the next election.

2: She does realize the associations of her plan and doesn't care, in which case...

What's an "all hands on deck" weekend? Every officer on the force works a shift a day? If so, that's actually not a bad idea. Why the fuck didn't the city approve that one instead?

[ogsbee]

62. Quoting a top Nazi: "The only way we could have been stopped, would have been if our opponents had

recognized our true intentions early enough." (This is from memory, I just can't find it again.) It's still early enough and our Rulers' intentions are clear enough.