DC Police Chief Says Marijuana ‘Undoubtedly’ Linked to City’s Violent Crime Spree

Washington, D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee said marijuana was “undoubtedly” connected to the city’s surge in violent crime, and said it was something residents should “look at as a community.”

“We have taken on a mindset that marijuana is not really a big issue in our city,” Contee said in an afternoon briefing with reporters. “I can tell you that marijuana undoubtedly is connected to violent crimes that we are seeing in our communities. When you have something where people get high reward — they can make a lot of money by selling illegal marijuana — and the risk is low, the risk for accountability is very low, that creates a very, very, very bad situation, because those individuals get robbed. Those individuals get shot at. Those individuals get involved in disputes all across our city.

“I’m seeing it happen more and more all across our city in all different wards,” he added. “Last year, we had a murder up in Ward 3 on Western Avenue tied to an illegal marijuana pop-up. Here, recently, on North Capital Street, we had another illegal marijuana place that somebody entered into with guns, duct-taped somebody, and put a gun to somebody’s head in there. Unlawful marijuana pop-ups, unlawful distribution of marijuana in communities, that is a bad recipe for disaster.”

Contee was addressing Thursday evening’s shooting on Washington’s 14th Street. Residents fled the scene as gunshots rang out. Two men were injured in the shooting, and the perpetrators escaped.

The police chief also took aim at the city’s prosecutors for refusing to prosecute crimes related to marijuana, and said part of the problem was that drug dealers had become careful to abide by city laws that make it legal for them to carry less than two ounces of marijuana.

“Think about it,” Contee said. “What’s the risk for people? Is there a prosecution that is going to happen? Really? Is there a prosecution that’s going to happen of a guy with marijuana? I’ve heard from some community members that say these guys are keeping scales on them where they’re measuring out their marijuana … so that the police are not able to lock them up. That’s something we have to look at as a community. I know, again, marijuana, not a big issue — but it’s tied to violent crime, some of the violent crime, we are seeing in our city.”

Watch above via Fox News.