Comments on: MPD created party patrols in response to neighborhood complaints

By: Vox Populi » Comments of the Week: This is a travesty!

Vox Populi » Comments of the Week: This is a travesty! — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:35:00 +0000

[...] Carter hoped MPD could fit some policing into their busy party patrolling schedule: “and hopefully while these MPD officers are out patrolling they’ll keep an eye out for more serious stuff like assaults…cause you know that is a type of crime that happens around campus that deserves some police attention too.” [...]

By: Fact Checker

Fact Checker — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:07:16 +0000

The argument that the police should spend their time fighting crime rather than pestering students is a red herring. If the students would behave appropriately, the police wouldn’t need to do party patrols and could spend their time “fighting crime.” Do you think the police want to do party patrol? The rational argument has never been that students shouldn’t be allowed to drink (if 21), have parties, and be out and about in the neighborhood. The rational argument is that they should do so while respecting their neighbors. There will always be neighbors that are irrational, but it’s impossible to battle them as long as there are students who are clearly behaving badly.

By: d

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:36:04 +0000

The non-student residents of the Georgetown area are indeed “a bunch of self-important tools”. I have personally been persecuted by them, despite no apparent wrongdoing, and in one case was even been subjected to abusive and discriminatory language. If you don’t like the college atmosphere, then move to chevy chase or bethesda, bourgeoise scum. otherwise, i will continue to live my life here.

By: Carter

Carter — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:24:52 +0000

and hopefully while these MPD officers are out patrolling they’ll keep an eye out for more serious stuff like assaults…cause you know that is a type of crime that happens around campus that deserves some police attention too.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:46:06 +0000

“If the issuing officer observes a violation for which a PD 61D can be issued, but the violator is not present, the citation cannot be left on the property, premises, in the door, on the windshield, etc. The issuing officer must personally hand the (#2) Yellow copy to the violator”

By: The Morning Metropolitan «

The Morning Metropolitan « — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:06:08 +0000

[...] Georgetown Voice digs into the Party Patrol. [...]

By: Meredith

Meredith — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:24:03 +0000

The thing that really bothers me, besides what’s already been said, is the complaining about SafeRides. Sure, Georgetown residents! Let’s endanger students AND spread that noise out into the whole neighborhood!

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:59:43 +0000

@Anon: I don’t see noise violations of any sort in that PDF– not even Disturbing the Peace (unless you’re a dog). Neither are underage drinking, nor public intoxication.

… Have students been getting 61Ds when they shouldn’t be? Or is this link old?

By: FactChecker

FactChecker — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:51:09 +0000

The 61Ds are legal. They are citations in lieu of arrest. You still get to go to court and contest it. If you get the citation and pay the fine, it’s on your record. If you get the citation, fight it, and win, it’s not. (Of course, you won’t win, but that’s besides the point. What’s your defense going to be? Yes, I was screaming at my friends at 2a in front of some neighbor’s house, but it’s a college town and we were here first, so it’s ok. That’s against the law. You lose.) So, you get due process, which makes it legal.

Instead of the 61D, the police can take you downtown and lock you up for the night. The point of the 61D is to “arrest” someone, but not waste everyone’s time when the person is not dangerous and is unlikely to do damage to persons or property. While it sucks, and it’s harsh that someone can have an arrest record for not scooping their pet’s poop (yup, that’s also a 61D), it’s the law. So, it’s not the legality 61D that needs to be fought. It’s that making noise may lead to a record.

By: clearly a neighbor

clearly a neighbor — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:41:47 +0000

re: This is pointless

the fact that the neighbors not only dictate MPD policy, demanding persecution of students.. and do it in secret, without informing anyone else?

besides reiterating the fact that the nighbors are a bunch of self-important tools, this is all news.