Drug Bust in NE and a Great New Google Mashup Crime Map

Thanks to Frozen Tropics and Kathryn Sinzinger, Editor and Publisher of The Common Denominator, for early updates about Sunday crime happenings in NE, including a First District carjacking that ended at 17th and Jackson in Brookland with the apprehension of the suspects and a handgun. Ms. Sinzinger posted to the Brookland listserv on the drug bust:

This news tidbit should be of interest to everyone who has been concerned about the continuing drug problem around Turkey Thicket. Officers from the Fourth Police District executed a search warrant around 1 p.m. yesterday at 1017 Taussig Place NE and arrested a 24-year-old resident of that address, identified by police as Derek Nathaniel Blandon. Blandon is supposed to be arraigned in D.C. Superior Court today on charges that include possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and carrying a pistol without a license. Police seized crack cocaine, marijuana, cash, a handgun and drug paraphernalia during the raid.

A PSA 405 officer tells me that this incident resulted from chance, not an investigation. Police who accompanied a probation officer to the home on Sunday smelled marijuana and "locked everybody down" while the search warrant was obtained.

I have been unable, so far, to ascertain whether 4D and 5D officers are communicating about this search and arrest, since the police district line is at Taylor Street and 5D has been trying to deal with the Turkey Thicket problem.

MPD's press release on the incident here.

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CrimeinDC.org is a sparkly new Google Map mashup that not only incorporates the latest from Crimereports.com, but also breaks down the crimes into statistical data by type, ZIP, street, date, and day of the week. RSS, neighborhood radius searches, and e-mail alerts are forthcoming.

Also of note: The DCStat program intends to make "Crime Incidents" and arrests and charges available through RSS (hopefully) before the end of the year.

Finally, continue to stay alert and safe - it looks like we can't afford otherwise.