DC commissioner to form neighborhood lookout to fight Metro crime

WASHINGTON - One D.C. neighborhood commissioner is so sick of hearing about robberies and assaults near the Potomac Avenue Metro station that he is in the process of forming a neighborhood lookout.

Commissioner Chander Jayaraman told FOX 5 that some of the Southeast D.C. residents he represents are taking their cars instead of riding Metro because they are afraid to walk to and from their homes to the Metro station, which sits on the edge of a residential neighborhood.

"What we're trying to do is make sure people, after a hard day's work, can get off the Metro, come walk home and have a safe path home," said Jayaraman.

Jayaraman's plan is to get neighbors to sign up for a shift, a time when they can keep an eye out for unusual activity by looking out their window and report anything suspicious to police.

"If the citizens who are signed up to keep watch along those safe paths are able to report that in real-time and get it to the officers," Jayaraman said.

Councilmember Charles Allen says more police officers have been deployed to the area, but he also supports efforts to help cops.

"We have some of the best officers in the country, but we can't put everything on them. Part of this is having the community leadership, the neighborhood leadership that goes out and walks the block, helps put an extra set of eyes. It makes a difference," said Allen.

Jayaraman says he is still in the process of organizing the safe passage plan.