Corner stores and drugs

[from 4C09 Commissioner Joseph Martin to the acting director of DCRA]

Hi, Mr. Canavan:

A point I would like to see you address at this evening's drug eradication meeting at MPD 4D is what specific action ABRA/DCRA is taking to go after corner stores that sell drug paraphenalia. I understand that for this to involve ABRA, the targets would have to be stores with liquor licenses.

Last month I attended a PSA 302 meeting in Columbia Heights during which an officer from MPD spoke about corner stores on Georgia Avenue that have packaged "works" to sell to drug users familiar to them, materials sometimes sold as a kit kept under the counter. An officer spoke of seeing these materials at a store when she was able to get behind the plexiglass shield at that store to make a phone call. A resident of the Kennedy Street area also wrote to me and phoned me about the same time to tell me about MPD officers acknowledging to her that there are businesses on Kennedy Street that knowingly sell materials that are used as drug paraphenalia.

I would like to know of a specific plan of action, and I am hoping that in the not-too-distant future you or someone else from ABRA, DCRA and/or MPD will be able to report back to our communities on progress being made.

Sincerely, Joseph Martin

Comments

[chris]

I'm glad you guys are posting this info. good stuff.