Category Archives: News Alert

Category for Takoma alert items.

News Alert, Public Notices

Response to the Increase in Violent Crime in Takoma Park

 

Chief DeVaul

We are very concerned about the increase in violent crime in Takoma Park. These violent incidents that have plagued our region are now impacting our City far too frequently.

We are doing everything we can to address the increase in crime in Takoma Park. This includes increased patrols, both uniform and plainclothes, as well as overtime details to put more officers in identified “hot spot” problem areas. We want to make sure criminals know that Takoma Park is not a “soft target.”

We ask that residents continue to act as our eyes and ears, “if you see something say something.” Community members can also leave anonymous tips on our 911 Tip Line,   Residents’ calls/tips have led to officers being able to make arrests for in-progress crimes and have also provided information that has helped us solve crimes.

We have made several arrests for crimes in Takoma Park, including the arrests of two individuals responsible for multiple burglaries in Takoma Park and the arrest of a juvenile in the recent carjacking on Westmoreland Ave. We will continue to investigate incidents to ensure offenders are identified and charged professionally.

We have held multiple Public Safety Ward meetings in Wards 1, 2, 3, and 6, as well as more focused neighborhood meetings to hear from residents, provide crime stats and crime prevention tips, and update residents on incidents in Takoma Park. Our next meeting, focused on Ward 5, will take place on Monday, March 13th.

We also put out daily and weekly updates on crime incidents in Takoma Park. Residents can sign up for crime alerts and other public safety information on our website.

Long-term, we must take a holistic approach to addressing the causes of criminal activity. Until we address these underlying issues, lack of education, food security, jobs, etc., the cycle of crime and violence will continue. The police alone cannot solve the problem. We look forward to the City implementing some of the recommendations made by the Takoma Park Reimagining Public Safety Task Force that help address these issues and continuing to look for ways to address the root causes of criminal behavior.

We are doing everything we can to keep our residents safe and secure while still protecting the values and small-town identity of Takoma Park.

We are always open to ideas and input. Have suggestions? Please send them to me at Chief DeVaul.

 

News Alert, Public Notices

A Message to the Community from Chief DeVaul on the Death of Tyre Nichols

 

Chief Antonio DeVaul

I am deeply disturbed by the actions of the five Memphis police officers in the murder of Tyre Nichols. Watching the video of the beating death of Mr. Nichols at the hands of Memphis police officers was extremely difficult and brought me to tears.  The actions taken by the involved officers were merciless, heinous, and incredibly disturbing and went against the basic law enforcement principle of preserving life. The lack of compassion, abuse of power, and use of excessive force were inhumane and inexcusable. I am glad to see swift action was taken, and the five police officers involved in the murder of Tyre Nichols and the two firemen who failed to render proper medical care to Mr. Nichols have been fired. I am also glad to see the five police officers charged with murder and other criminal charges.

We can no longer sit back and allow these incidents to happen. Real change must happen. The fact that both Mr. Nichols and the five officers involved were African-American was not lost on me.  As your police chief, I am acknowledging the role traditional police culture plays in many of these horrific incidents. The fact that the officers who murdered Mr. Nichols were assigned to a unit called the “Scorpions” speaks volumes about the mission of the unit and the mentality of the officers in the unit.

Police culture, with an “us against them” mentality, must change. I am committed to changing this culture. This begins with hiring individuals who want to be police officers for the right reasons, providing ongoing training to officers, and holding officers accountable for their unjust actions. We must also train our officers to de-escalate situations with dialog, not force.

We regularly review our policies and procedures, but given this sobering moment, it requires our department to review and ensure our policies, practices, and oversight in our duty to protect our officers and the community from any circumstance even mildly akin to this type of tragedy. All Takoma Park officers have undergone Active Bystander for Law Enforcement Training (ABLE- https://www.law.georgetown.edu/cics/able/) and de-escalation training. We also have a duty to intervene policy requiring all officers to intervene when they observe misconduct by other officers.

I previously provided a message to the community overviewing our efforts to improve the police department in Takoma Park. A link to this message can be found here: https://takomaparkmd.gov/news/message-to-the-community-from-chief-devaul/.

We, as a community and a nation, must come together to address the issues facing the law enforcement profession.  I and all of the members of the Takoma Park Police Department are committed to being part of the solution, not the problem.  We are stronger together!

We are always open to ideas and input on providing equal and equitable service to all our community members. Have suggestions? Please send them to me at tonyd@takomaparkmd.gov.

 

 

News Alert, Public Notices

Ward 3 Community Meeting to Discuss Public Safety Recording

 

On Thursday, January 26, 2023, the Police Department and Ward 3 City Councilmember Randy Gibson held a community meeting to discuss public safety issues in Ward 3.

Watch the Ward 3 Community Meeting to Discuss Public Safety on YouTube.

View the Ward 3 Community Meeting to Discuss Public Safety PowerPoint (PDF).

Questions:

If you had a question that didn’t get asked, or that you thought of after the meeting, please feel free to email them to Cathy Plevy and we will get you a response.

Contact:

Catherine Plevy
Public Information Officer
Takoma Park Police Department

Email: cathyp@takomaparkmd.gov
Phone: 301-891-7142
Cell: 240-338-2901

Arts & Humanities, News, News Alert

“Cirque du Cambodia” Free Film Screening on Feb. 10

CIRQUE DU CAMBODIA FILM SCREENING

Free Takoma Park Arts Event 

Friday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 pm 

Takoma Park Community Center

7500 Maple Avenue 

From Cambodia to Canada, the Cirque du Cambodia documentary follows two Cambodian teenagers on their inspiring journey to run away and join the circus.

Filmed over eight years, filmmaker Joel Gershon captured the amazing talents and ongoing challenges for two Cambodian teenagers who travel from the rice fields and dusty roads of their rural village to the other side of the world to train at the prestigious National Circus School of Montreal in Canada. Their ultimate dream is to perform with the prestigious Cirque du Soleil, whose headquarters is located across the street from the school.

The two teenagers began their circus training in their village in Cambodia at a school for the arts called Phare Ponleu Selpak, which translates to “brightness of the arts.” The school runs a “social circus” program where at-risk and marginalized youth learn circus skills, such as juggling, tightrope walking, and trapeze, and perform in shows for locals and tourists.

During a trip to Cambodia, Gershon was captivated by a circus performance at Phare and spent the next decade filming and editing this documentary, following the story through four countries on a shoe-string budget.

The two young circus performers arrived in Montreal with almost no money or the ability to speak French or English, but they hope to perform under Cirque du Soleil’s big top. Will they make it to the big time? Join us to see the film to find out!

The documentary won audience awards at two film festivals and a jury prize at the 2021 Circus International Film Festival.

Gershon, who lives in Washington, D.C., will lead a Q&A with the audience after the film screening. He previously lived in Bangkok for 12 years working as a TV correspondent, copywriter, and college professor teaching film and media studies. You can learn more about him and his work at joelgershon.com.

This film screening is part of the Takoma Park Arts series organized by the City’s Arts and Humanities Division. The series includes free art exhibitions, film screenings, poetry readings, concerts, theater, and dance performances at the Takoma Park Community Center. Please go to takomaparkmd.gov/arts for more info and to sign up for our e-newsletter.

 

A version of this article was featured in the February 2023 Newsletter. Visit the Takoma Park Newsletter webpage to see the full list of past newsletters.

Arts & Humanities, News, News Alert

“Poetry of Struggle and Solidarity” Poetry Reading on Jan. 26

POETRY OF STRUGGLE AND SOLIDARITY 

Free Poetry Reading

Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 pm 

Takoma Park Community Center

7500 Maple Avenue 

In a new Takoma Park Arts poetry reading, four local poets and a Ukrainian poet in Kyiv will share their original work highlighting perpetual struggles across the globe and our dogged efforts to find common ground.

The featured local poets include Amy L. Bernstein, Tara Campbell, David Ebenbach, and Margaret Flaherty. Slava Konoval also will share some of his poetry about the war in Ukraine in a video.

Bernstein’s poetry has been published in many online and print journals, including Yellow Arrow Journal, Loch Raven Review, and Lost Boys Press. She was awarded a poetry writer-in-residence fellowship from Yellow Arrow Publishing in 2022. Yellow Arrow will be publishing a chapbook by Bernstein and three other writing fellows titled Baltimore, we (want to) love you.

Campbell has been publishing poetry and participating in poetry readings in the D.C. area since 2015, including the Gaithersburg Book Festival, the Literary Hill Bookfest, Café Muse, and DiVerse Poetry.

Ebenbach is the author of three books of poetry, including We Were the People Who Moved, Some Unimaginable Animal, and What’s Left to Us by Evening.  His work also has been published in numerous literary magazines, including the Beloit Poetry Journal, Prairie Schooner, and the Southwest Review.

In 2020, Flaherty received an MFA in poetry from Pacific Lutheran University’s Ranier Writing Workshop. Many of her poems address climate change and environmental issues, and her poetry has been published in several journals.

Vyacheslav “Slava” Konoval is a Ukrainian poet whose work is devoted to the most pressing social issues of our time, such as poverty, ecology, and war. His recent poetry focuses on the devastation caused by Russian aggression during the war in Ukraine. His poetry has appeared in many publications, including Anarchy Anthology Archive, International Poetry Anthology, and Sparks of Kaliopa.

This poetry reading is part of the Takoma Park Arts series organized by the City’s Arts and Humanities Division. The series includes free art exhibitions, film screenings, poetry readings, concerts, theater, and dance performances at the Takoma Park Community Center. Please go to takomaparkmd.gov/arts for more info and to sign up for our e-newsletter.

News Alert, Public Notices

Community Quality of Life Grants Now Accepting Applications through March 9

 

The City of Takoma Park is currently accepting applications for its Community Quality of Life Grants Program through Thursday, March 9, 2023. Click here to Apply  

 

The Community Quality of Life Grants Program provides financial support for specific programs, projects, and events that improve the quality of life for city residents by providing greater access and opportunities for participation in the arts and sciences. Projects are eligible for up to $10,000 in financial support.

Funding for FY23 is available for projects taking place between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.

Resources
Arts & Humanities, News, News Alert

“One Day My Soul Just Opened Up” Art Exhibition at the Takoma Park Community Center

One Day My Soul Just Opened Up Art Exhibition

On view until March 15 

Takoma Park Community Center

7500 Maple Avenue 

Four Black female artists will share their diverse range of work exploring the spiritual world views of African heritage in a new Takoma Park Arts exhibition titled One Day My Soul Just Opened Up: African-American Women and the Black Sacred Cosmos. The featured artists include Debra Jean Ambush, Nikki Brooks, Joan M. E. Gaither, and Anike Robinson.

The exhibition is curated by Brendan Smith, the City of Takoma Park’s arts and humanities coordinator. “I usually choose the theme for an exhibition, but I asked the artists to collaborate on the focus of this show since the work is deeply personal to them and their shared experiences,” he said.

The exhibition addresses a distinct variety of viewpoints regarding the notion of a Black Sacred Cosmos, a time-honored reverential space in which the realm of ancestors and the divine inspire resilience and memory among their descendants. As an expression of how we perceive our sustaining spiritual centers, this convening of an Afro-Futuristic ‘visual dance’ invites viewers to consider the imprint of the African-centered aesthetic on our daily lives.

Debra Ambush, PhD, is an artist and researcher who lives in Ijamsville, Md. Through the mediums of printmaking, painting, and mixed media, her figurative and landscape work expresses family narratives about her experiences growing up during the Civil Rights Movement, as well as examining the vital importance of family, faith, and heritage as a source of resiliency.

Nikki Brooks, who was born in Brooklyn and raised in Spotsylvania County, Va., creates installations and assemblage infused with digital and audio elements, paintings, sculpted text, and collage. Her work focuses on social activism and art that encourages viewers to explore the interconnected forms of writing, storytelling, and shared dialogue.

Joan M. E. Gaither, PhD, is a native Baltimorean who helped integrate local schools and businesses during the Civil Rights Movement. In more than 300 quilts, she has used meaningful fabrics, traditional patterns, collaged text, and images to tell narrative personal stories and collective histories that need to be remembered.

D.C.-based artist Anike Robinson delves deeply into Black cultures and histories across time and geographies to engage in conversations about home, memory, ritual, representation, and gender. Her Gris Gris Gurlz mixed-media series tells the stories of Black people who escaped the death camps of the South for the autonomy of maroon societies.

This exhibition, which will be on view until March 15, is part of the Takoma Park Arts series organized by the City’s Arts and Humanities Division. The series includes free art exhibitions, film screenings, poetry readings, concerts, theater, and dance performances at the Takoma Park Community Center. Go to takomaparkmd.gov/arts for more info and to sign up for our e-newsletter.

News, News Alert, Public Notices

Community Police Academy Now Accepting Applications

 

The Community Police Academy will begin on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Applications are due Friday, February 17, 2023.

About the Academy

The Community Police Academy is a 12-week program consisting of one class a week on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm. The classes cover patrol, traffic enforcement, use of force, criminal investigations, firearms, community policing, etc. The presentations are slide show/lecture style and will be given by officers, detectives, and civilians of the Takoma Park Police Department. There will also be multiple opportunities for hands-on learning through equipment demonstrations, practical scenarios, field trips, and ride-alongs with patrol officers.

The Takoma Park Police Department believes that educating the community will result in gaining their understanding and support. Through the implementation of the Community Police Academy, the community will gain new insight into how law enforcement officers perform their duties. The success of any law enforcement agency depends largely upon the amount of cooperation and support it receives from the community it serves. To hear what others have said about the Academy and to learn more, please visit the Community Police Academy webpage.

The Community Police Academy is:

  • Free to the public
  • Limited to the first 25 students
  • Filled on a first-come/first-served basis.

The Takoma Park Police Department encourages all applicants to be able to commit to the full 12 weeks to get the most out of the program. If you are interested in learning about the Takoma Park Police Department and local government, are 16 years of age or older, and live or work in Takoma Park, you may apply. The applicants may not have any serious misdemeanor or felony offenses.

 

The deadline to submit a completed application is Friday, February 17, 2023.

Contact

If you have any questions about the Community Police Academy, contact:

Catherine (Cathy) Plevy
Public Information Officer
Cell: 301-891-7142
Email Cathy Plevy

News Alert, Public Notices

We Are Expecting Some Wintry Weather in the DMV Over The Next Few Days – Know Who to Contact

 

Contact Information for Emergencies and/or Services During Bad Weather

We are expecting some wintry weather in the DMV over the next few days. Please know who to contact in an emergency and check on your neighbors.

For any storm-related emergencies, including any injury, tree into a structure, or downed power lines that could still be electrified, call 911.

To report downed branches and other debris in the public right of way – roadways or sidewalks – contact Takoma Park Public Works at:  publicworks@takomaparkmd.gov or 301-891-7633.

 

Utilities

In case of water main breaks or other issues, contact the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission at 301-206-4002 or at EmergencyCallCenter@wsscwater.com.

For issues with cable lines or the internet, call your service provider.

 

Shelter

For Montgomery County, if you need or see someone who needs shelter,

  • Call the Community Crisis Center at 240-777-4000,
  • Shelter Services at 240-777-3289,
  • Takoma Park Police non-emergency at 301-270-1100 or
  • Montgomery County Police non-emergency 301-279-8000

 

Takoma Park Alerts – Sign-up

Takoma Park Alert will deliver important emergency alerts, notifications, and updates to you by whichever of the available methods you choose.

  • Sign up now to be notified quickly of emergencies, severe weather, unexpected road closures, and other public safety incidents.

 

News Alert, Public Notices

Montgomery County Officials Recommend Masks to Slow Covid Transmission – CDC is offering Free Home Test Kits

Montgomery County:  County officials recommend precautionary measures such as wearing masks to slow transmission, protect the most vulnerable populations, and keep hospitalizations down as COVID-19 cases rise in the region.

County cases have steadily risen, doubling since the recent low on November 28, 2022. Information provided by Ron Hardy, Emergency Preparedness Manager.

CDC.gov

Free home COVID-19 test kits are now available for every household. Please visit: Order Tests.