Crime is down overall in Washington but some communities still struggle : NPR
Joe McClean, a lawyer, poses for a portrait in the south-east of Washington, DC, August 13, 2025. McClean is concerned about the deployment of the National Guard and the Federal Police, and thinks that it is not necessary.
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Washington – President Trump began to deploy national guard troops, as well as hundreds of federal agents, around Washington, DC, this week, in a decision to repress what he calls violent and violent crimes. The federal government has also taken over the Metropolitan Police of DC.
Some Washingtonians see the president’s movement as a power game. Others say that crime in some parts of Washington is indeed a big problem and that they welcome more resources, but they doubt that the deployment of federal agents and soldiers is a solution.
Ava, a business consultant, lives in the U-Street district, a gentrifying part of the capital where there is a mixture of young professionals and older Washingtonians. The district is part of district 1, which has had seven homicides and 166 flights so far this year, according to the Metropolitan DC police.
Ava, who asked that NPR did not use her family name because she is here on a green card and worries about reprisals, says that there have been shots nearby, but she still considers her neighborhood as relatively safe and is comfortable getting home up to 2 and 3 am. She says that the description of the president of Washington does not correspond to his reality.
“I have lived in cities all my life, and I don’t think DC is more dangerous than other cities,” she said. “I think this summer was … calmer than the other summers.”
Washington had serious problems of violent crimes, including carjacks. For example, in June 2023, in the midst of a wave of crimes, there were 140 in the city.
But the US Ministry of Justice said that last year, violent crimes in the Columbia district reached a 30 -year hollow.
The violent crime in district 1 is down almost 30% this year over the same period last year, according to the police.
Through the Anacostia river in district 8, where poverty is high, there have been 38 homicides so far this year – almost five times as in district 1.
“”I have a friend who was raped about three years ago, “said Alicia Cooper, who works as a real estate manager in the Congress district. Cooper supports President Trump.
“”I think he really cares, “she said. Overall, she welcomes federal police surveillance and a presence of the National Guard.
“The positive is a feeling of security,” she said. “Residents, in the end, they may feel safe that they know that there is a higher level of command that monitors what is going on.”
Joe McLean, 37, a lawyer who visited Congress Heights on Wednesday, said that the deployment of federal soldiers and agents does not concern crime reduction, but the bending of political power.
“Everyone knows that a show of strength does not reduce crime, it does not care about the crime, and crime is down,” said McLean.
Instead, he says, he thinks that the administration is trying to subjugate a mainly black city.
“They see someone and they want to control them,” said McLean.
Alicia Cooper, 39, poses for a portrait in the south-east of Washington, DC, on August 13, 2025. Cooper shares its reflections on the deployment of the National Guard and the Federal Police at DC, she is a fan of President Trump and appreciates the feeling of security that the police offer.
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Agents of the Metro Special Police Department have south-east of Washington, DC, on August 13, 2025. President Trump deployed the National Guard and the federal police to patrol and police the city.
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Maansi Srivastava / NPR
