Could there not be a website with data and pictures of bench warranted offenders that a citizen (maybe for a small repward) could inform police/marshals as to the possible whereabouts of the offender. Making re-arrest easier out to improve performance.
Maybe you have solved a mystery. The mystery is why reports of murder and violent crime increased substantially in our city this year when they have (apparently) declined substantially in nearly all other U.S. cities (e.g. https://jasher.substack.com/p/crime-in-2023-murder-plummeted-violent)? If other cities (which have sheriffs to do the job) enforce bench warrants and we don't, that may explain it or explain an important part of our current crime problem.
But I don't appreciate the excuse "because of the George Floyd protests there was no motivation to start up again.” It is not a question of individual officers' "motivation." It is the job of MPD leaders to direct officers to do their jobs when it's not being done. To the extent this is an MDP problem or there's an MPD solution, don't imply it's the officers' fault -- it's the leadership team that's letting bench warrants go unenforced.
True - but if you've ever led a team that's experienced a dramatic drop in motivation due to forces outside of you're control, it can be next-to-impossible to turn that situation around.
Especially because DC is so small we need Federal help making arrests outside of MPD's jurisdiction.
So it's not that the Marshals don't do anything, but that they have pulled back on bench warrant enforcement specifically, with negative impacts on DC's public safety.
Could there not be a website with data and pictures of bench warranted offenders that a citizen (maybe for a small repward) could inform police/marshals as to the possible whereabouts of the offender. Making re-arrest easier out to improve performance.
Yes, that process could definitely be better.
The DC Courts Active Warrant list is literally just the names and would require looking up info from each case to provide anything useful for a lookout: https://www.dccourts.gov/services/active-warrant-list
The US Marshals only profile a few fugitives (this includes people who haven't been arrested yet, not just the bench warrant list)
https://www.usmarshals.gov/what-we-do/fugitive-apprehension/profiled-fugitives/1626
So yes, this is probably something that MPD could do a better job of trying to get public tips about.
Another great piece. Thank you.
Maybe you have solved a mystery. The mystery is why reports of murder and violent crime increased substantially in our city this year when they have (apparently) declined substantially in nearly all other U.S. cities (e.g. https://jasher.substack.com/p/crime-in-2023-murder-plummeted-violent)? If other cities (which have sheriffs to do the job) enforce bench warrants and we don't, that may explain it or explain an important part of our current crime problem.
But I don't appreciate the excuse "because of the George Floyd protests there was no motivation to start up again.” It is not a question of individual officers' "motivation." It is the job of MPD leaders to direct officers to do their jobs when it's not being done. To the extent this is an MDP problem or there's an MPD solution, don't imply it's the officers' fault -- it's the leadership team that's letting bench warrants go unenforced.
True - but if you've ever led a team that's experienced a dramatic drop in motivation due to forces outside of you're control, it can be next-to-impossible to turn that situation around.
What are the US Marshalls up to, then, if not doing enforcing bench warrants?
The Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force does make a lot of arrests of DC suspects that have fled into neighboring states. https://www.usmarshals.gov/what-we-do/fugitive-investigations/fugitive-task-forces/capital-area-regional-fugitive-task-force
Especially because DC is so small we need Federal help making arrests outside of MPD's jurisdiction.
So it's not that the Marshals don't do anything, but that they have pulled back on bench warrant enforcement specifically, with negative impacts on DC's public safety.