The most recent data from MPD shows crime in the District is up 40% and D.C. just hit 250 murders in the city. That's up 34% compared to last year and it's the most in the past 20 years. Add on that motor vehicle thefts are up 93% for last year and people like Kathy Henderson, who is the ANC Commissioner for Ward 5D06, which covers parts of the Trinidad and Carver-Langston neighborhoods, said this year's violence calls for drastic measures.
"The city is in crisis. The city clearly is in crisis," Henderson said. "We need to call in the National Guard. We need to activate all 38 law enforcement agencies to help MPD patrol. This is a crisis. We have to put our citizens first. We can't make excuses. Every day, we should be seeing a representative from the mayor's office. We should be seeing the mayor, we should be seeing our councilmembers, we should be seeing our congresswoman. We should be seeing the entire team every day in every neighborhood, helping to allay citizens' fears. This is an unnecessary crisis, and we need to mobilize all of our resources to protect our citizens' lives and the visitors to our city. This is unacceptable," said Henderson.
So 7News is asking why is D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on a six-day trip to the Middle East.
7News has learned you won't find Bowser in the city this week. She is attending the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference where she is a member of the United States Conference of Mayor's bi-partisan delegation attending several days of meetings.
It kicks off on Thursday.
The climate change conference is billed as the first-ever global forum that allows world leaders the chance to convene to discuss and engage in crucial negotiations and commitments regarding climate change.
7News has learned she left D.C. on Sunday and flew to the Middle East. Traveling over 7,000 miles and landing in Dubai close to 13 hours later.
The I-Team wants to know:Why attend a global meeting on climate change now?
Turns out it's nothing new for Mayor Bowser. Back in 2017, she signed an order solidifying the District's commitment to upholding the Paris Climate Agreement which battles global warming. She was one of 200 mayors to honor the agreement.
7News also discovered a year later, she committed to a transition to zero waste, develop net-zero carbon buildings, and to ensure a low-carbon future for the District.
D.C. joined 18 global cities in pledging to ensure that all buildings, existing and new, will meet net-zero carbon standards by 2050. In addition, under the mayor's guidance D.C. joined 23 global cities in pledging to cut the amount of waste used by citizens by 15%, reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills by 50%, and increase the amount of waste diverted to 70% by 2030.
The mayor is also the Chair of the International Affairs Committee for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. We reached out to the mayor Tuesday for a statement on why she is attending the conference in Dubai and her schedule, but so far have not gotten a response from her office.
She is also meeting with leaders before Thursday's conference to discuss infrastructure, sports, education and to promote the District as a destination for investment and tourism in partnership with the D.C. Chamber of Commerce.
The mayor will be back in the District in four days. She lands back in D.C. on Saturday.
When Mayor Bowser returns to the city, 7News will continue to ask questions including the cost of the trip, how many staff members traveled with her to Dubai, and what she learned in the Middle East that will help residents right now here in the city.