April 29, 2003 215 PM

This is to keep you updated on the progress of the revitalization of the Third District Citizen Advisory Council (3D CAC). Recall that the CACs can be used as an effective vehicle for citizen input into the effectiveness of police operations. In the MPD's own words

"The CAC is an advisory panel that provides each police district commander with direct information and recommendations from the community on the public's safety problems and police service needs. Regular CAC meetings in each district allow residents to meet and discuss police-related issues with the commander. The meetings also provide an opportunity for police officials to assess the impact of their crime-fighting efforts on the community." Furthermore, the heads of each CAC provide direct input to Chief Ramsey "...the Chief's Citizen Advisory Council provides the Chief of Police with input and advice on matters affecting the entire Department. The Chief's Citizen Advisory Council consists of the chairs of each district CAC, as well as at-large members who represent different communities of interest in the District."

As we all know, the promise of the CAC has not been fulfilled in the Third District. For years now, the group has been inactive and has failed to be responsive to the residents of the Third District, being unable to offer anything substantive, including a membership list.

Some of you have come on board and are helping with the revitalization effort and I am grateful for it! As it stands now, there are three committees by-laws, membership, and elections. At the last CAC meeting on April 24th, the committees were formed, chairpersons selected, and a deadline was given to report at the next CAC meeting in May of their progress.

There is at least general agreement that not much can happen until the out-dated by-laws are rewritten. I am attempting to spearhead the modernization of the by-laws but if last meeting was an indication, change will not be welcome, particularly given certain entrenched interests who prefer the status quo.

Therefore, I am asking once again for your help to revitalize this important group. With modern and flexible by-laws and committed residents, the sky is the limit in terms of citizen efforts to advocate for and demand accountability from the Third District police.

This email is being sent to representatives of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1C, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2B, Adams Morgan Community Association, Adams Morgan Business Association, Adams Morgan Main Street, Cardozo-Shaw Neighborhood Association, Cocktail Charities, College & Meridian Hills Association, Friends of Marie Reed, 14th & U Main Street, Kalorama Citizens Association, and Reed Cooke Neighborhood Association and safestreetsdc.

I am hoping that these organizations will have access to a large group of individuals and will be able to identify one or two who can help in this effort, people who care about public safety issues and are interested in making their neighborhoods a safer place to live. Please contact me by email or telephone with any names of individuals and I will be happy to speak with them and encourage them to join the fray.

I especially need assitance in the effort to re-write the by-laws. You don't have to know about writing by-laws, but your voting participation counts! And to be clear, all individuals in this project need to join the CAC as members ($5 yearly dues). I will also be asking the current remaining CAC officers for a complete membership accounting to ensure that our recent members are properly recorded.

If you are interested in the by-laws committee, please send me an email and I will share with you my work on framing the issues that are relevant to modernizing the by-laws.

Thanks very much for your interest! In the end, it comes down to residents pitching in and helping our police to both better serve and improve the quality of life in the Third District.