Basil Smikle Jr.: ‘Crime Is Down’ in D.C., Show of Force Is ‘Anticipatory Obedience’

SMIKLE JR But it ░░░░░░░░ a conversation I m ░░░░░░░░ to see the mayor ░░░░░░░░ back on so strongly ░░░░░░░░ So what does this ░░░░░░░░ like if you have ░░░░░░░░ know last night 450 ░░░░░░░░ think it let me ░░░░░░░░ this correct federal officers ░░░░░░░░ deployed to the streets ░░░░░░░░ Washington It s not ░░░░░░░░ big city Washington D ░░░░░░░░ That s a pretty ░░░░░░░░ increase in you know ░░░░░░░░ on the ground so ░░░░░░░░ speak How does this ░░░░░░░░ out and what is ░░░░░░░░ timeline for this deployment ░░░░░░░░ JR Well it s ░░░░░░░░ and you all talk ░░░░░░░░ this a bit It ░░░░░░░░ the theater of it ░░░░░░░░ These these individuals this ░░░░░░░░ enforcement enforce on an ░░░░░░░░ street We talked about ░░░░░░░░ a bit in New ░░░░░░░░ when there were questions ░░░░░░░░ crime in the subways ░░░░░░░░ you started to see ░░░░░░░░ Guard members in our ░░░░░░░░ stations There are a ░░░░░░░░ of folks that felt ░░░░░░░░ about that but others ░░░░░░░░ said Why are we ░░░░░░░░ this Right Because why ░░░░░░░░ we have this kind ░░░░░░░░ show of force But ░░░░░░░░ you take a city ░░░░░░░░ Washington D C that ░░░░░░░░ smaller and you start ░░░░░░░░ folks with shotguns or ░░░░░░░░ rifles in the in ░░░░░░░░ streets what is the ░░░░░░░░ of that if not ░░░░░░░░ show force at a ░░░░░░░░ where crime is down ░░░░░░░░ you actually don t ░░░░░░░░ to show force in ░░░░░░░░ way So there s ░░░░░░░░ theater that I think ░░░░░░░░ s trying to create ░░░░░░░░ again deflect attention to ░░░░░░░░ people Right Because we ░░░░░░░░ that with ICE as ░░░░░░░░ and what he does ░░░░░░░░ ICE to scare people ░░░░░░░░ to engage in what ░░░░░░░░ friend of mine called ░░░░░░░░ obedience In anticipation of ░░░░░░░░ showing force or inserting ░░░░░░░░ will you re going ░░░░░░░░ behave COLEMAN Advance compliance ░░░░░░░░ Compliance before the demand ░░░░░░░░ JR.: “That’s right.”