Anybody Got a Problem With This?

I'm trying to understand the logic and the reality surrounding a city business group paying for DC Police protection outside their establishments in an area where it seems ( at least to me) that police protection should be a given and is already paid for through tax dollars.

The Washington Post reports The Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District has begun paying D.C. police officers $55 an hour in overtime pay to increase weekend security in an area where condominiums and office buildings cast shadows over areas known for drug deals and prostitution.

For seven hours on Fridays and Saturdays, an officer walks, bikes or drives through the area to look for suspicious activity and to talk with residents and business owners. Under the arrangement, the officers cannot be redeployed during the shift.

The Mount Vernon district spends about $780 per weekend to cover the patrols. The group's annual budget is about $270,000.

I have written before in this space that Police, firefighters, all other emergency service employees can't expect to work Monday through Friday 9 to 5 shifts. Mayor Fenty campaigned on the promise to put more cops on the streets.

I took that to mean more cops on the streets at night and early mornings; on the sidewalks, around businesses, condos, apartment buildings and single family homes..including weekends. . A lot of us work weekends.