The new drug free zones begin Wednesday, March 20 at 8 a.m.
WASHINGTON — Three stops and no arrests after the District’s first set of drug-free zones. The immediate measure from the recently signed Secure DC Crime Bill, allows police to disperse a group of two or more people in the zone if they are suspected of engaging in drug activity.
The three stops occurred in Chinatown, one of the first three zones. WUSA9 visited another zone in Ward 7 at Benning Road and Minnesota Avenue, NE. Residents said while the cars didn’t stop, the other traffic they saw around the corridor – drugs – did slow down.
“It made it a little safer for us to get out of this building and go to McDonald’s to purchase food,” said Venetta Brown who works at a nearby DC Government building. “There was a brick wall about three feet, maybe two feet, they used to sit there but they took it down.”
“They bring chairs and stuff out here, you know? It’s that’s crazy. They just be out here rolling up stuff and smoking it,” added resident Neicy Thomas. “Maybe about 50 or more they be right there (at the McDonald’s), by the liquor store, they be everywhere out here.”
When we asked Thomas if it ever made her afraid, she responded, “Sometimes, you know, when they get to acting like they lunchin’ looking at you like they crazy talkin’ out they head.”
So, while the zones were a source of controversy from critics and community advocates who feared it could lead to an abuse of power, people who live and work near the zones were pleased.
“I feel like it’s good for the community for real, for real,” said Abraham Evans, Jr.
“I hope they keep doing it,” Thomas added.
Now, DC Police are gearing up for another round of enforcement. The new drug-free zones take effect Wednesday, March 20 at 8 a.m. and expire Monday, March 25 at 7:59 a.m. The impacted areas are in Trinidad and Petworth:
The Trinidad area of Northeast to include:
- The 1200 block of Mount Olivet Road, NE
- The 1700 block of Montello Avenue, NE
- The 1200 block of Raum Street, NE
- The 1700 block of Trinidad Avenue, NE
The Petworth area of Northwest to include:
- 900 block of Upshur Street, NW
- 4000-4100 block of Georgia Avenue, NW
- 900 block of Shepherd Street, NW
- 4000-4100 block of Kansas Avenue, NW
