WASHINGTON -- DC Police Chief Peter Newsham talked to residents in the Deanwood neighborhood on Monday following a string of controversial incidents involving city police officers.
One such incident revolved around an apparent MPD stop and frisk operation outside Nook's Barber and Beauty Salon in June. Many residents claimed MPD staged the incident to set up residents on the street.
Chief Newsham told residents there was a lot of "misinformation" surrounding the case. He added his officers did not stage the incident.
"The number one issue that I see with this incident is that it created a lot of tension between the police department and our community," Newsham said. "And, we do not want that."
Newsham said he believes MPD has a good relationship with the neighborhood. He added he once patrolled the community thirty years ago.
However, some Deanwood residents claimed the police department has not listened to the community about all of its concerns regarding the incident at Nook's and similar situations.
"He accused me of demonizing the whole police department and I explained to him that we're not talking about the whole police department," said Anthony Lorenzo Green, an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in the Deanwood neighborhood. "We're talking about the bad apples that are roving our community and violating the everyday rights of citizens."
But, Newsham said in some incidents he feels his officers are unfairly cast in a bad light.
"What we try to do is correct that information (misinformation) and give as many facts as we can so people can make their own decision (on case)," he said.
