Norton to View New Lighting to Prevent Crime at Fort Totten Park on Wednesday

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will visit Fort Totten Park on Wednesday, November 7, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. to inspect two temporary lights installed by the National Park Service (NPS) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) along a well-traveled path that serves as a shortcut through Fort Totten Park, owned by NPS, between the Fort Totten Metro station and the nearby Ward 5 community. Following a visit to view the path and a meeting in her office with Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, NPS, WMATA, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Park Police, NPS and WMATA agreed to install temporary lights until a permanent solution can be found. Concerned that there were seven muggings in a single year, Norton toured the park with Councilmember McDuffie, the NPS, residents, and other public officials last month. Afterwards, Norton said that the situation was sufficiently urgent that temporary and long-term solutions should be found to light the path. NPS and WMATA worked together to place temporary lights at each end of the path, and Norton has requested that the NPS develop a more permanent solution.

"Dark parks bring trouble," Norton said. "I appreciate the fast action of NPS and WMATA. The two temporary lights, one at each end of the path, will help prevent crime and make residents traveling to and from the Metro station more secure."

In a letter to NPS, Norton asked that the agency make a more permanent solution to the problem a priority, including doing an environmental assessment if necessary, and assessing the cost of paving the path and potentially installing solar-powered lighting.

Published: November 6, 2012