Crime & Safety
SPEAK OUT: Youth Crime Said to be Down in Silver Spring
The chief of police says his crackdown has worked. Has it?
The Montgomery County chief of police says youth crime in Silver Spring has gone down significantly since a gang fight a year ago this month resulted in the stabbing of a 17-year-old girl.
The community was alarmed by a gang fight on the night of July 1, 2011, in which a
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The incident spurred County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) to propose a youth curfew, which sparked debate countywide.
In a Silver Spring Citizen’s Advisory Board meeting Monday night, police chief Thomas Manger said youth crime in Silver Spring has declined markedly since then.
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“We immediately expanded our central business team. You [will] see a lot police officers on bikes and on foot,” he said. “We have not had a similar occurrence since then. It’s not to say that we haven’t had a fair amount of activity here but it has been what you expect.”
About 3,500 juvenile arrests were made in Montgomery County in 2011, according to figures provided by George Simms, assistant state’s attorney for Montgomery County.
Montgomery County Police hasn't released its new crime figures.
Have you noticed more of police presence in your neighborhood?
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