Norton Announces Federal Investigation of Shooting in Trinidad Community (6/22/09)

Norton Announces Federal Investigation of Shooting in Trinidad Community

June 22, 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. - After a meeting today with U.S. Park Police Chief Sal Lauro, Maj. Patrick Smith, U.S. Park Police Patrol Branch Commander, and National Park Service Deputy Director for Operations Ernie Quintana, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, is investigating the shooting of Troy Joyner in the Trinidad neighborhood in Washington, D.C. earlier this month. The shooting involved U.S. Park Police officers who are part of the "Safe Streets Task Force," which consists of FBI and U.S. Park Police officers working along with the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

Norton said, "The independence of the investigation satisfies our most important goals of learning what occurred and establishing responsibility so that appropriate remedies can be identified. Typically, the best investigation of a shooting involving a police officer is done by an agency with the greatest credibility, and the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department fits this need here." Norton said she was pleased that the Civil Rights Division had already contacted the U.S. Park Police Chief offering an independent evaluation and that the Park Police had readily agreed, so that she did not have to pursue a federal investigation on her own. An investigation also is underway by the U.S. Attorney's Office here, which routinely conducts an independent investigation into fatal police shootings.

The Congresswoman has long worked with the U.S. Park Police because it has unique authority to make arrests anywhere in the District because of ownership by the National Park Service of parks throughout the city.

At the meeting held in the Congresswoman's office today, Norton urged more contact and communication between Park Police assigned to "Safe Streets" and the D.C. community. "Safe Streets" was established in the 1990's at the height of the District's crack cocaine epidemic. The coalition has worked closely with the Metropolitan Police to eradicate drug traffic. "Not since I've been in Congress has there been a fatal shooting involving a federal police officer and a District resident," Norton said. "There are legitimate concerns in the community and today's meeting is an indication that we are on a path we hope will satisfy these concerns.