DC Water CEO and General Manager George Hawkins’ statement on recent crimes in Bloomingdale

From: Hadiah Jordan [mailto:Hadiah.Jordan@dcwater.com]

Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2016 5:31 PM
Cc: Hadiah Jordan ; CreativePages, LLC
Subject: FW: DC Water CEO and General Manager George Hawkins’ statement on recent crimes in Bloomingdale

Dear residents,

DC Water and Skanska JayDee have taken multiple steps this week to boost security and deter crime around the construction areas for the First Street Tunnel Project. We want to update you on those efforts: 

Lighting - Over the past three days and nights, our team has been working to identify locations around the perimeter of the construction that were poorly illuminated. Electricians have checked and repaired any existing light fixtures that were dark, and installed strings of new lights around the construction sites. That includes Adams Street and Flagler Place, First and V Streets, First and Channing Streets, and First and Thomas Streets. 

On Tuesday evening and again last night, we had engineers and security personnel walk the neighborhood to assess the lighting and identify any deficiencies. There are still a couple spots we think could use some additional lights, and we’re working to address those locations now.   

In addition, at our request, a DDOT arborist responded and trimmed trees in a few places where the canopy was limiting the illumination of the sidewalks. We also noted a dark streetlight in the 200 block of Adams Street, NW and submitted a request to have it repaired. DDOT contacted us this morning and plans to survey the Bloomingdale neighborhood for malfunctioning street lights. 

Visibility – Earlier this week, workers removed almost all of the noise blankets hanging on the chain link fencing to shield nearby homes from the construction. A small number of blankets were kept in place to suppress the noise from a crane, but the rest will remain down until loud construction activity necessitates temporarily rehanging them. Visibility around the construction sites is much improved now, eliminating blind spots and providing better sight lines for pedestrians. 

Security – Working with MPD, we are adding additional security in and around the construction areas. This includes supplemental patrols to deter crime. 

We will continue to work to improve the lighting and make every effort to help protect residents. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you see a potential security risk in or around our project sites. Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Hadiah

Hadiah S. Jordan, Public Outreach Coordinator | DC Clean Rivers Project | DC Water | Hadiah.Jordan@dcwater.com

5000 Overlook Avenue, SW | Washington, DC 20032 | t (202) 787-4717 | f (202) 787-4476
Water is Life! | Web | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Flickr | LinkedIn

From: Hadiah Jordan
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2016 4:54 PM
Cc: Hadiah Jordan <Hadiah.Jordan@dcwater.com>; CreativePages, LLC <creativepagesllc@aol.com>
Subject: DC Water CEO and General Manager George Hawkins’ statement on recent crimes in Bloomingdale

Dear Residents,

I am deeply saddened to hear about the recent street robberies and the shooting death of a resident in Bloomingdale. I know the fear that such acts engender – I was held up at gunpoint several years ago in a nearby neighborhood – and members of the community are rightly concerned about these horrific crimes. We are also concerned for the safety of our workers who are in the neighborhood every day building critical new infrastructure to safeguard Bloomingdale against flooding.

We have strived to be good neighbors during our First Street Tunnel project, and we will uphold that commitment until the work is done later this summer. I have called Chief Lanier to offer our assistance to try and deter crime in Bloomingdale. I have also asked our team to explore any and all measures to enhance security around our construction sites in the neighborhood. Working with the project’s contractors, we are taking the following actions:

·         Checking and repairing lighting - During the project, lights were added to better illuminate sidewalks around our construction staging areas. Residents have reported some of these lights are out. Electricians are checking to ensure the lights are functioning properly, and if not, making the necessary repairs.

·         Improve visibility – Beginning immediately, workers are removing the noise blankets that shield nearby homes from the construction areas. This will hopefully increase visibility and eliminate blind spots that could allow criminals to surprise victims or escape capture. The blankets can be rehung as needed for noise suppression during heavy construction. 

·         Additional patrols – DC Water is working to supplement security around the construction staging areas. This will include off-duty police officers or private security personnel.

·         Free transportation for residents – The tunnel project continues to offer free rides in the neighborhood on request for residents who call the 24 hour hotline at 1-844-FST-INFO [1-844-378-4636].

No one should have to fear walking down the street in their own neighborhood. We will continue to work with MPD to respond to this very troubling and tragic series of crimes. 

George Hawkins
CEO and General Manager
DC Water 

Hadiah

Hadiah S. Jordan, Public Outreach Coordinator | DC Clean Rivers Project | DC Water | Hadiah.Jordan@dcwater.com

5000 Overlook Avenue, SW | Washington, DC 20032 | t (202) 787-4717 | f (202) 787-4476

Water is Life! | Web | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Flickr | LinkedIn