Lieutenant Hedgecock Calls for a Public Meeting to Address Rise in Property Crime

Georgetown, Burleith and Hillandale have seen a sharp rise in property crime recently, according to Lieutenant John Hedgecock. He spoke Monday at the Advisory Neighborhood Commission meeting and suggested organizing a separate meeting with community members and key stakeholders to discuss the surge and how the community can help.

"We do have a serious problem," leveled Lt. Hedgecock. Property crimes such as burglaries, thefts and retail thefts have "dramatically increased" he explained.

Lt. Hedgecock called for public support in police efforts to tamper down crime, "we can't do this alone." Reporting suspicious activity is key, "you know when a blade of grass is out of place" he joked. Even if residents choose to remain anonymous, calling 9-1-1 when something seems "off" helps the officers on patrol.

Lt. Hedgecock said violent crime is down from last year; 2011 has had eight reported incidents to date compared to 13 for the same time period last year.

The ANC is working with the lieutenant to arrange a date for a public meeting in the near future. Stay tuned for further details.