Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier announced today the kickoff of Operation Full Stride, a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) initiative designed to increase police presence and improve community policing by incorporating foot patrol officers into routine police patrols.

Currently, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has 50 police officers who are assigned throughout the city to a footbeat. Operation Full Stride will immediately add another 150 to the foot patrol ranks, with footbeat officers patroling neighborhoods in all seven police Districts.

“This is old-fashioned policing at its best. There is no better way for residents to get to know their neighborhood officers than to see them out every day, up close and personal,” said Chief Lanier. “Residents should know the officers assigned
to their communities by name, and rely on them as a direct line of communication to MPD.”

Operation Full Stride kicks off on October 12, 2007, when 200 officers will go door-to-door, person-to-person, community by community, handing out calling cards with their contact information.

“There is no better way to improve community policing than to start with getting to know the people who live and work in the District. This is grassroots policing, which will give residents exactly what they’ve been asking for — more police in their communities who make them feel safe,” said Mayor Fenty.

Operation Full Stride is not intended as a substitute for emergency 9-1-1 assistance, but will allow residents to get to know their local sergeants and lieutenants so that they can call on them when they have questions or flag them down when they need them.