Bowser launches DC’s first safety hub to improve police response in high-crime area

Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser opened the city’s first “Safe Commercial Corridor” on Monday to enhance police responsiveness as the city grapples with high crime rates.

Located in Chinatown, the safety hub will connect residents to police resources, along with representatives from various outreach agencies, including the mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services, the Department of Human Services, and more. Two more hubs will open in the spring, located in Anacostia and in the U Street area.

“These hubs are one more way we can bring city services closer to the community and stay connected to residents and businesses in the neighborhood,” Bowser said in a statement. “When we talk about a whole-of-government approach to public safety, these are the people and teams who are working together every day to keep our city safe and healthy, and we are grateful for their wide range of expertise, compassion, and commitment to our community.” 

The hub will be open to residents for walk-in services Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Officers from Chinatown’s Crime Patrol Unit and Bike Unit will have access to the hub 24/7 “to complete critical administrative tasks without having to return to the First District’s main station.”

Bowser said 2024 started with downward trends in crime, both in Chinatown and across the district, but officials must “work urgently to keep that up.”

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“We not only want people to be safe but feel safe,” Bowser added. “And if people are engaging in criminal activity, we know as a community, we have sent the clear message that they will be held accountable.”

Last year, violent crime increased 12% in Chinatown, and several businesses closed permanently as the once-popular area turned into a hot spot for robberies. On Sunday evening, a special police officer was shot and injured by a suspected robber at a Walgreens in Chinatown, close to the Gallery Place Metro station. Police officials told the Washington Post that 24-year-old Kamanye Williams had been connected to six other robberies at the same Walgreens since July. District police’s criminal investigation division and internal affairs are investigating the incident.