A bunch of 70 companies have come collectively to pen a letter wherein they urge D.C. lawmakers to do extra to curb crime within the metropolis’s downtown.
A bunch of 70 companies have come collectively to pen a letter wherein they urge D.C. lawmakers to do extra to curb crime within the metropolis’s downtown.
“I feel we discovered that there was a rising stage of frustration by many people that authorities leaders wanted to do extra to guard the communities throughout town,” mentioned Drew Maloney, president and CEO of the American Funding Council.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Nationwide Affiliation of Broadcasters are among the many organizations that signed onto the letter.
Maloney, whose workplace is within the Gallery Place neighborhood, spearheaded the trouble. It comes after a spike over the past couple years of violent crimes in the downtown region, together with the dying of former D.C. Board of Elections member Mike Gill during an attempted carjacking.
Maloney mentioned not solely was Gill his shut pal however he was additionally effectively appreciated within the downtown enterprise neighborhood.
“So, it was an easy job to get all people to come back collectively round this situation,” he mentioned.
The letter despatched to Mayor Muriel Bowser and all of the members of metropolis council known as on metropolis leaders to carry an finish to the “horrifying acts of violence” being seen within the metropolis.
In 2023, D.C. noticed a record-setting 39% spike in violent crime, with 274 homicides throughout the yr. As of Feb. 29, violent crime is down within the metropolis by 11% in comparison with this time final yr.
Regardless of the slight decline, Maloney mentioned staff of the organizations stay “fearful” to enterprise out of their places of work.
“Lots of the staff go searching and so they’re changing into extra scared about what they’re going to come across once they both come to work, depart work, exit for lunch,” he mentioned.
The letter requires extra to be achieved to focus on “the small group of organized and repeat criminals” that metropolis leaders have mentioned are behind a majority of crimes.
Maloney, a longtime resident of D.C., mentioned it’s been onerous to see the “somewhat secure and affluent” metropolis lose that edge.
“I feel now’s the time to attempt to get that again and ensure folks really feel secure and cozy coming downtown to go to work, concert events [or] dinner,” he mentioned.
Maloney mentioned crime additionally has enterprise leaders contemplating if they need to keep their offices in downtown D.C.
“There’s a variety of curiosity in making an attempt to relocate and discover locations the place all people’s staff really feel secure,” Maloney mentioned.
He additionally anticipated Maryland and Virginia to try to lure companies and commerce associations out of the nation’s capital.
“That is the alarm bell for town leaders to step up and do as a lot as they will to remind the residents in each ward throughout town, that security and safety is a primary situation,” he mentioned.
WTOP has reached out to the mayor’s workplace for remark.
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