WASHINGTON — WUSA9's Lorenzo Hall sat down with D.C.'s new Chief of Police at MPD headquarters in Northwest early Thursday morning. By the time our crews reached the building, Pamela Smith had been working well before sunrise. Her days often start off on a grim note.
"They give me a little time to sleep, but often times at four o'clock in the morning, I'm up and looking at what happened overnight. How many robberies, armed carjackings," Smith said.
When asked what she would say to people whose reality involves violence day-in and day-out, Smith explained "It's about our relationships. It's about our relationships in those communities. We conduct public safety walks."
Chief Smith said she plans to use her new role and department to build community.
"I think that it's time for us to do something different. I have the mayor's support in being able to do that and I just ask people to give us a little bit of time," said Smith.
But for many families, that time is now. The common sentiment in the DMV is that crime is getting out of control.
One resident told us, "This has gotten out of hand. Way out of hand." Another resident adding, "It sucks. I hate it. It's bad. I've been complaining about it for a long time."
As of Thursday morning, D.C. reports 235 homicides, more than 6,000 car thefts, and nearly 3,000 robberies this year. When asked what the new police chief makes of those numbers, she told WUSA9 "So, those numbers are certainly very challenging, very disturbing. There are a couple of initiatives that we are getting ready to launch."
Chief Smith says she's finalizing some of her plans with the mayor and will announce those new initiatives in a few months.
In the meantime, she's meeting with council members and urging them to pass the mayor's crime-fighting legislation focused on retail theft, robberies, open air drug markets and giving police more tools.
"What we have in that legislation is concern from our officers which will help us with morale," said Smith
On the contrary, some community members fear they will be targeted.
"That's the nexus that I've been hearing from some folks is, is this another opportunity for us to just go out and arrest Black boys. This is not it," said Smith.
Chief Smith also said her department desperately needs new officers.
As of Thursday, there are nearly 3,350 officers and Mayor Bowser wants 4,000.
In addition to a $25,000 signing bonus, the Chief recently met with apartment developers to see if they could offer police officers reduced rent.
She said "I want our officers to live in the District of Columbia, but sometimes the rent is quite, um, high."
While the work seems insurmountable, the ordained Baptist minister says she's also leaning on her faith. Coming from a past of drug-addicted parents and time spent in foster care, Smith said with hope she was able to become the first Black woman to lead the police department.
"Some other young girl, even young boy who thought that things were not possible. There is possibility in your hopes. There's possibility in your dreams," said Smith.
Adding, "Even though I didn't have a great past, but my mom, when she made a decision to really get herself where she needed to be, she was an amazing woman. She passed away in April of this year and I had 20 good adult years. Positive years. Even in her hospital bed, she was calling me her chief. Now, the nation's capital can call me their chief."
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