Drug-free zone established in Eastern Market Metro Park

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has established a “drug-free zone” from September 18 to 22, covering part of the Eastern Market Metro Plaza Park.

The zone includes the square south of Pennsylvania Avenue and extends south to E Street SE between Seventh and Ninth Streets SE, one block on either side of Barracks Row.

Why is this a drug-free zone? Indications for this designation include increased drug arrests, reports of dangerous crimes or murders in the past six months, or “verifiable” information indicating drug sales. MPD reports indicate arrests for public marijuana use in the area.

Brian Ready, director of Barracks Row Main Street (BRMS), said the Main Street organization was not consulted before the zone was created. However, he said BRMS welcomed the effort. “We Hope It will help address some of The Problems The was have In The park make [it] A more greeting Location for The community.”

Advisory District Commissioner David Sobelsohn (6B03), who represents part of the area, said neither he nor, as far as he knows, the commission as a whole had been consulted. “In general, I support the idea of ​​ridding this area of ​​illegal drugs and illegal drug trafficking. I think it's a great idea,” he said. “The devil is in the details as to exactly how they're going to do that.” Both the ANC's public safety committee and its parks and recreation committee could have weighed in on the matter, Sobelsohn said.

He said neighbors have expressed concern about drug use, particularly marijuana, in the plaza. “I've also heard of drug sales in the area,” Sobelsohn said, “that there's open drug dealing in the Eastern Market Metro Plaza. So if that happens and the Drug Mart gets shut down, the illegal Drug Mart gets shut down in the Eastern Market, the Metro Plaza, that's great.”

Without details, however, he cannot be sure whether and how the zone will have the desired effect. “You can't just wave a magic wand and stop the illegal drug trade in a certain area,” Sobelsohn said. “You have to actually take action, and that is the question I don't know the answer to.”

What is a drug-free zone?

The district law provided for the creation of drug-free zones in 1996, but was repealed in 2014 (a version from 1989 was unconstitutional).

The provision of the Secure DC Act of 2024 allows Police Chief Pamela Smith to declare any public area within a square measuring up to 1,000 feet a drug-free zone for up to five days, or 15 days in any 30-day period.

Although the law's language seeks to prohibit “a group of two or more persons within the perimeter of a drug-free zone established under section 3 for the purpose of committing an offense under title IV of the Narcotics Act,” it allows offers to determine the purpose of a person's presence in a zone, including when “such person has no other obvious lawful reason for gathering in the drug-free zone.” It is also a violation of the law to fail to comply with an officer's request to disperse.

Critics have called similar laws a tool against loitering. Skeptics argue that the provision makes it easier for police to harass Black and brown people who gather in public spaces. For example, Patrice Sulton of the DC Justice Lab has pointed out that selling drugs is already illegal. The new legislation could allow police to stop and search people in the area, she told Alex Koma of Washington City Paper in February. According to the ACLU, this practice disproportionately affects Black people.

Both the Eastern Market subway station and several Metrobus stops are located within this drug-free zone.

The notice shall be effective for the maximum number of consecutive days (120 hours) permitted by the DC Code for a declaration. Each declaration shall require 24 hours' notice, up to a maximum of 360 hours per 30-day period, or 15 days.

Since the “Secure DC” bill was passed by the City Council on March 5, there have been regular drug-free zones.

The EMMP zone is valid until September 23, 2024, 07:59.