Washington, D.C.’s crime rates have continued to skyrocket despite its city council chairman proclaiming earlier this year there is no crime crisis in the nation’s capital.
Democratic D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson told the House Committee on Oversight in late March that while there are considerable concerns regarding crime, residents should not worry.
“With regard to crime, yes, there is considerable concern,” Mendelson said. “But while perception is important, the reality is less concerning. Let me be clear: People should feel safe, and it is a problem that many residents of the district don’t.
“I know this belies the common belief — and when it comes to crime, how people feel is important — but there is not a crime crisis in Washington, D.C.”
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Phil Mendelson, chairman of the District of Columbia City Council, testifies before the U.S. House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., March 29, 2023. (Michael A. McCoy/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The hearing came after months of disputes between Congress and the D.C. council over crime proposals. It also occurred just days after a staff member for Republican Sen. Rand Paul