DC police establish first round of drug-free zones: Where are they?

Gabby Allen
·2 min read
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WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) began enforcing drug-free zones in the District at 8 a.m. Thursday morning.

The Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act was signed into law by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday, granting MPD the ability to reinstate drug-free zones, 10 years after voting to repeal the initiative as a city council member.

The reinstated law allows MPD to declare any public area up to 1,000 square feet a drug-free zone for up to 120 hours – or five days. During those five days, police can restrict people from loitering in the designated zones.

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MPD declared 14 areas across the District as drug-free zones on Thursday, with orange signs to notify the public. The following drug-free zones will be in place from 8 a.m. March 14 to 8 a.m. March 19:

In the First District, the boundaries are: 

  • The 600-700 block of I Street, NW

  • The 700-800 block of 8th Street, NW

  • The 700 block of G Street, NW

  • The 700 block of 7th Street, NW

  • Gallery Way Place, NW

  • The 700-800 block of 6th Street, NW

In the Sixth District, the boundaries are: 

  • The 3800-3900 block of Minnesota Ave NE

  • The 3900-4000 block of Benning Rd NE

  • The 3900-4000 block of Clay Pl NE

  • The 300 block of 40th St NE

In the Seventh District, the boundaries are: 

  • The 2300 block of Ainger Place, SE

  • The 2700 block of Langston Place, SE

  • The 2300 block of Raynolds Place, SE

  • The 2700 block of Bruce Place, SE

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According to the bill, MPD’s Chief of Police must give the Chairman and each member of the D.C. Council at least 24 hours prior notice of where the drug-free zone and boundaries are.

A worker near the National Portrait Gallery at Gallery Place/Chinatown said, “I have seen some folks smoking on government property, which is illegal. We’ve had people come up and get combative with us because they were so high.”

The ACLU and D.C. residents have previously raised concerns over drug-free zones disproportionately targeting communities of color.

Kameron Johnson is a teacher in the District. While speaking with DC News Now, he asked, “Is this, you know, a bill for all or is this a bill to target a certain type of demographic of the city?”

“It’s really sad to think that what was once a safe haven for so many people has become a breeding ground for new buildings that will eradicate so much culture that was deeply rooted in the area,” he continued.

Drug-free zones first went into effect in 1997 but were repealed by the D.C. Council in 2014 over concerns that they may be unconstitutional.

Anyone who fails to comply with police to disperse while in a drug-free zone could be arrested and fined up to $300.

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