D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a press conference on Wednesday that the federal surge in the nation’s capital is helping reduce crime.
“We know that we have had fewer gun crimes, fewer homicides, and we have experienced an extreme reduction in carjackings,” Bowser declared at a conference dubbed “Situational Update Federal Surge.”
“This is what we think, in just a couple of weeks of experience, has worked, having more federal law enforcement officers on the street,” Bowser said, admitting that President Donald Trump’s intervention in the nation’s capital was having its desire effect.
“We think having more stops that got to illegal guns has helped. We think that there is more accountability in the system, or at least perceived accountability in the system, that is driving down illegal behavior,” the mayor continued.
Bowser did not dismiss the idea of the U.S. Department of Transportation taking over the management of Union Station, Washington’s train station.
“They own Union Station. It’s owned by the Department of Transportation, and it will be a good thing, because [sic] if that station has suffered from needing, some say $12 billion, but let’s call it at least $8 billion worth of investment in the renovation, and that is not something that the district will be able to support,” the mayor said.
“If it’s about what Union Station needs for its total transformation, that would be an amazing initiative for the federal government to take on,” Bowser noted.
The greatly improved crime statistics in the District did not stop the mayor from criticizing the way the Trump administration was enforcing the law.
“We know having masked [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents in the community has not worked,” Bowser said.
“National Guards from other states has not been an efficient use of those resources,” the mayor contended. She also noted that the federal district would continue to need more police.
Bowser said Washington was a unique city as the seat of the country’s federal government, and so she would not comment on the Trump administration’s potential efforts to send federal forces to other cities. The mayor also doubled down on support for local control over the city.
“What we want is local control of our public safety ecosystem, and that includes deployment of officers. And we want federal officers that work in coordination with us—[the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI]—who, as the chief just mentioned, work with us on major crime issues all the time, and our officers are familiar with working with them, and they have been helpful in the field,” the mayor said.
Bowser has served as mayor since 2015. Prior to that she was a member of the D.C. Council, representing Ward 4.
Reprinted with permission from The Daily Signal by Jacob Adams.
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
Home rule has not worked for a very long time. The federal government should take DC back permanently.
It must have been an excruciatingly painful experience for her to publicly admit President was wright.
Democrat incompetence is on full display.
These Democratic mayors are all worthless, look at the crimes committed in their cities. They also cheat on numbers, so much corruption going on and the light is shining on them finally because of PT.
The only thing to say — “Dahhh!”
Now if the rest of the corrupt, ignorantly arrogant, DUMBA$$ ‘blue’ politicians will admit it and get on board with Trump’s COMMON SENSE CRIME REDUCTION METHODS, then ALL of America will be a safer place.
However, the socialist/commie Demorats and the corrupt and lying Fake News medias will start their crucifixion of Bowser beginning today. They LOVE to eat their own should any of them even think of agreeing with or going along with Trump.
Bowser made a big omission that the national guard and ICE officers on the street has not helped in DC. Really that’s laughable. No murders since they are on the streets. If the MPD was so efficient now why weren’t they before the president stepped in. The democrats want it both ways. Defund the police and then when the cities are overrun by crime and the federal government has to step in to save the citizens from criminals running tgeir neighborhoods. They then take the glory for the law and order being restored. They will never admit they are wrong. We will have more deaths in cities like Chicago, Baltimore, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Memphis, New York City and cities in Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri. It is wide spread people. But the billionaires governors get the publicity. It’s not an East Coast or a West Coast problem. President Trump will make this country safe again. The voters voted for him to do just that.
Did her head explode moments after it sank in?
This from the BLM mayor who promoted defunding the police. I bet she experienced some reflux while conceding that conservative policies against crime work. Suck it up, buttercup, President Trump is right once again!!!! MAGA!!!!!
If you can’t take care of your own house then we WILL do it for you!! Thank you, sir!! Promises made, promises kept …. MAGA
It would be nice if DC had more local control, especially after years of Speaker Pelosi having oversight. Her own District i CA is one of the filthiest – typical of Blue governance.
Washington DC is a Federal “District” – not a “city” – and should not be under civilian control at all. It should be managed under the appropriate Federal departments. That seems to me to be the way the Founding Fathers set it up, and I think that would help with the crime and any other problems it has.
As a party that Democrats has still not decided what stance they want to take on crime. I know what stance they are on look at all the Democrats waiting to be prosecuted.
I lived in Philadelphia and NYC 40 years ago. I didn’t have a car, so I took AMTRAK and local commuter trains to get to both cities. Typically, I took AMTRAK to DC, and this was around the late 70s. To be honest I don’t remember the DC station’s interior. The hellhole was to get out of the station and walk to the Capital area without getting mugged. So, I am happy to hear it is safer. I loved to visit the museum and monuments along the mall
She is an idiot and will always be an idiot.
Ward 4? I thought she was from the Psycho Ward!
This is what happens when people do the job they were hired to do. Cities across the country should follow their lead.
Gee what took so long??
Trump could have influenced all of the criminals in DC to become contributing church members, singing in the choir, and volunteering for community projects and she would have said “Eh, its a little affected”.
Kinda hard to ignore the stats. good on her.
smart dem admits the obvious instead of “gaslighting”.
Shocked and actually impressed that a Dem would have a light bulb moment! Now if only others can get pass DTS for just a fleeing moment, long enough to see the truth!
It’s refreshing to see a Democrat admit that stopping crime is necessary and if help from federal troops is succeeding and sensible, help them…..don’t make things more difficult. I applaud her making that admission in public!
will she support the congress and TRUMP’s continued action in chocolate city?
We didn’t do nothin wrong and those heavy handed troops should not be so rough with our criminals. They (socialist/democrats) are running out of places to point fingers and it’s starting to look like it’s coming right back to them as the problem. Life is good!
Well, what a surprise. Now thank him!
That is really something, having to drag Dem’s or Repub’s, like little CHILDRED TO THE DINNER TABLE, so that they may get something that will help them GROW INTO HEALTHY ADULT’S
Whether the mayor’s comments are sincere or an attempt to CYA, at least she sounded sincere. Will any other failed DIMM mayor ask for similar help?
golly, what a cabinet meeting yesterday & seen by the whole world.
What is Judge Jeannie doing with all of the 14-15-16-17 year olds ? Is she locking them up Or what? No talk about that, and also how many of the homeless took the choice to go to jail instead of leave DC?