CRIME

Security in a number one concern for many residents at 3003 Van Ness.

There have been many criminal incidents at 3003 Van Ness in the past several years — burglaries (stealing from apartments), robberies, assaults, motor vehicle thefts, other thefts, narcotics, simple assaults and assaults with a dangerous weapon.

In May 2024, there was a stabbing in the building — at least the second one in recent years. While this has been characterized as a “domestic incident,” that is no solace to other residents, who are concerned that someone who stabbed someone else, leaving a trail of blood in the halls, is still a resident of the building.

Equity Residential provides virtually no security in the building — exterior doors and locks are frequently broken, there is not an experienced, 24/7 security guard, visitors are rarely screened, and the video camera system is badly outdated and has failed to capture footage of recent incidents.

In mid-December 2021, about two weeks after a stabbing took place at 3003 Van Ness, Equity promised the tenants association that it would soon propose a plan for improving security. No plan has yet been announced.

High number of calls to 911 for MPD assistance

In recent years, the number of monthly calls to 911 for police assistance has skyrocketed. This is also true of certain other apartment buildings in the Van Ness / Cleveland Park / Forest Hills area. Among the other affected buildings are the Brandywine, Connecticut House, Sedgwick Gardens, the Parkway, the Parkwest, the Rodman, the Saratoga, the Chesapeake, the Kenmore, and others. Police calls in some of these buildings, including 3003 Van Ness, have increased 5-10 times over the period before 2018.

For example, here is the report on 911 calls from 3003 Van Ness for July, 2024. Note that some of these incidents are serious — assaults, burglary, abduction, and stabbings.

Please note that these incidents are not charged arrests, but instead are calls to 911. Often, MPD arrives on the scene, but no arrest is made — especially when the person who reports an incident doesn’t want to press charges.

SIGN UP FOR THE MPD LISTSERV TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT ARRESTS

The DC Metropolitan Police runs a Google Group (listserv) that provides crime reports on arrests all over the city. If you have a Google account and sign up for the listserv, you can search on incidents at 3003 Van Ness.

Here is the link for the MPD Google Group.

For example, here is an MPD news item from May 2024 regarding 3003 Van Ness:

“The Second District is investigating a stabbing at the 3000 block of Rodman St, NW. On Friday, May 24, 2024, at approximately 4:07 am, MPD officers responded to the scene and located two males victims suffering from non life-threatening injuries. All victims responded to a nearby hospital for further medical treatment.”

Some neighborhood residents have questioned the accuracy of the MPD reports in the past year, because they often see MPD officers arrive to deal with an incident at 3003 Van Ness, but they can’t find a corresponding police report. This may be because no arrest was made. However, it is important to share such information with the tenant association so we can inquire with MPD if necessary — especially for cases that appear to be serious.

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT POLICE - SECOND DISTRICT

The Metropolitan District Police (MPD) divides the city into seven districts; 3003 Van Ness is in the Second District, which roughly covers Northwest DC. The Second District station is at 3320 Idaho Avenue, NW, near the intersection of Idaho and Wisconsin. The phone number is (202) 715-7300. However, in the case of an emergency, always call 911.

The MPD has been very helpful to the tenants association and to residents of 3003 Van Ness. Officers have attended our meetings and provided advice. MPD officers are frequently at our building because, unfortunately, there are a disproportionate number of 911 calls and an elevated level of crime at 3003 Van Ness. The MPD calls 3003 Van Ness a “nuisance building,” and has reported Equity to the DC Attorney General.

The MPD Second District hosts a Google Group that is open to area residents. It also hosts or participates in occasional Zoom meetings that are open to residents.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

In addition to recommending that Equity improve internal security and working closely with the tenants association, the MPD has offered a few simple recommendations for individual residents:

  • When you enter or exit the building, always close the door behind you. Non-residents, some of them up to no good, often follow residents through open doors.

  • Always lock your apartment with the deadbolt. Without the deadbolt, some of the doors can be opened using a simple tool or a credit card.

  • If you see something suspicious, call 911.

CALLING 911

Equity Residential refuses to take any responsibility for disturbances that occur at 3003 Van Ness. For example, if you call the front desk with a noise complaint, you will be told just to call the police.

MPD strongly encourages residents to call 911. This gives officers the opportunity to survey the situation even if they cannot catch someone “red-handed” at the time. Also, when MPD officers are visible, it serves as a deterrent.

Residents of 3003 Van Ness have made hundreds of 911 calls over the past several years. Unfortunately, because Equity Residential does not take responsibility for even simple disturbances, residents are left with no alternative.

Residents are sometimes reluctant to call 911 — either because they don’t want to get involved or they don’t want to report someone if they are not sure that a crime has been committed. However, calling 911 does not have to create a confrontation because callers can request to remain anonymous. And calls to 911 can help prevent a crime from taking place.

CREATE A PAPER TRAIL

If you suspect that there is criminal activity taking place or if you call 911, be sure to email Equity Residential building manager Dan Burkes and cc: the tenants association. It is important to notify the company so it later cannot deny that it knew that crimes had occurred. A paper trail can help pressure Equity into improving security in the future, either because it fears bad publicity, or it fears legal liability.

SHARE INFORMATION WITH OTHER TENANTS

If all tenants followed the simple recommendations above, it would improve security at 3003 Van Ness. These actions alone — without increased effort by Equity Residential — won’t fix the problem, but they will help.

For this reason, it’s important to share this information with other tenants. Not all of them will read this web page or subscribe to the VNSTA Google Group. You can help inform them by putting posters to help inform other tenants: