WASHINGTON — D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith announced Monday that her department will be enforcing a youth curfew during the summer months, as crime rates in the District are trending down.
"So I am going to say to the parents who are listening and watching today, do you know where your children are?" Smith asked during a news conference focused on the District's youth summer programs.
The chief's message comes just hours after a large crowd of teenagers prompted an increased police response along the nightlife corridor of U Street Northwest.
"[It] resulted in MPD increasing our presence in the area to ensure the safety of those present," a police spokesperson told WUSA9 in a statement. "There were no arrests."
Smith said there were several of these gatherings across the District following the Capital Pride celebrations.
"We will have our resources in place to address those types of activities on an ongoing basis throughout this summer," Smith said. "We are not stepping down we are actually stepping up."
Under current District code, those 16 and younger have to be off the streets from 11 p.m., until 6 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays. On Fridays and Saturday nights, the curfew goes into effect from midnight to 6 a.m.
Smith said the increased enforcement during the summer months is an effort to keep crime down. The latest D.C. police crime data shows that both violent and property crime is down. As of June 10, the city has registered 78 homicides. During the same period last year, 103 people had been killed in the District according to police numbers.
This will be the first summer that D.C. Police will be able to use the D.C. Real Time Crime Center. Smith says this increased tool will be key to advance investigations. She announced that so far, more than 39,000 home security system cameras have been set up to be a part of the crime center.
Mayor Muriel Bowser echoed Smith's message as she announced her administration's summer youth programs.
"We are asking parents to think about all the activities that their kids are involved in, that they're engaged, and at the end of the day, that they know where their kids are," Bowser said.
Bowser urged parents to enroll their children in the youth programming across the District.
This summer, the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has more than 8,700 DPR camp slots across four sessions from June 26 through Aug. 16. She also announced approximately 12,000 youth will begin their job placements through the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program at nearly 800 job sites.
Do you have a news tip on this story or any other story? We want to hear from you. Tell us about it by emailing newstips@wusa9.com.
MORE WAYS TO GET WUSA9
DOWNLOAD THE WUSA9 APP
Apple App Store: WUSA9 News on Apple
Google Play Store: WUSA9 News on Android
HOW TO ADD THE FREE WUSA9+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WUSA9.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "WUSA9" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE WUSA9 NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to our daily WUSA9 Newsletter for top stories from WUSA9 curated daily just for you. Get content and information right now for can’t-miss stories, Commanders content, weather, and more delivered right to your inbox.