Downtown BID Helps Take a Bite Out of Crime

Thurs. December 16, 2010

Safety Focus Triggers More Secure, Friendly Environment

WASHINGTON, DC – The Downtown DC Business Improvement District (BID) has produced a six-page report (www.downtowndc.org/crime) showing how crime in Downtown DC has declined dramatically since 1999, dropping from an average of 7.4 crimes a day to about 3.8, based on Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) crime statistics.

In addition, the Downtown BID’s Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance employees (SAMs), who work to create a safe and welcoming environment on Downtown streets seven days a week, provide $66 million worth of crime prevention, stressing the importance of having a private security entity such as the Downtown BID supplementing city services by serving as the ears, eyes and caretakers of Downtown.

The data show as the 13-year-old organization has strengthened it partnerships with public safety officials and property managers, overall crime has dropped 48%, from 2,684 in 1999 to an estimated 1,396 in 2010. Offenses have fallen in eight of nine categories now tracked by the MPD, with the most significant percentage drops occurring in the “theft from auto” (-79%), “burglary” (-76%) and “stolen auto” (-59%) categories.

“Simply put, Downtown DC is safe,” said Richard H. Bradley, executive director of the Downtown BID. “Crime has dropped in half since 1999, while use of the area has increased.” Furthermore, as crime has dropped, people’s perceptions of Downtown DC have improved. “And perception is everything,” he said. “It plays a critical role in the choices that people make, including their decision to live, work and play in the Downtown BID area.”

Bradley noted three strategies—public safety programs, public environmental improvements, and public-private development—have contributed to Downtown’s transformation from an area perceived as “dull, dirty and dangerous” to one that is now a vibrant, thriving, and dynamic urban center.

Going forward, the Downtown BID will continue to work strategically with its partners to address thefts from office buildings and automobiles, offenses that account for the vast majority of Downtown crimes.

“The best defense is an aggressive offense,” said Bradley. “The hard work and dedication of our Downtown SAMs made this possible, as did partnerships in both the public and private realms—particularly with the Metropolitan Police Department—which refocused attention on the quality of public spaces to create remarkable urban experiences. ”