[RP TownTalk] TownTalk Digest, Sexual Assaults

[Alison Spain]

Hi Vern (and interested readers) -

Thank you for your prompt reply and initiating a discussion.  I appreciate
it and was not trying to disparage Riverdale PD, merely understand the
chain of command, or lack thereof, between the towns.

The timeline as I understand it does illustrate that coordination between
departments could be improved upon in order to inform the public sooner.
According to my understanding, by June 4th, Hyattsville PD, at a minimum,
knew there had been two incidents, whether or not the victim was willing to
make a report.  I assume the weekend slowed things down in terms of
completing the report - but that information could be communicated to
adjacent towns in a more timely manner.  The M.O. of the suspect was
similar in both incidents, so there was plausible evidence to assume it was
the same assailant.  However, there was a four day gap between the 2nd
assault and the date that RPD was notified, and a five day gap between the
2nd assault and when Riverdale residents were advised.  In that time
another assault occurred on June 8th. Evidently, the initial incident on
May 24th was either not communicated to RPD or was not deemed important
enough to share with residents.

I think the larger issue is the seriousness with which we do or do not take
sexual assault, misdemeanor or otherwise.   Just Google 'untested rape
kits' or ask your daughters, mothers, sisters, and female friends if they
have been on the receiving end of catcalling and/or a grope in a crowded
space.  Sexual assault is really a crime of power, and exists along a
continuum, from unwanted comments and implied threats, to unwanted
touching, groping, and rape.  *Regardless of how it is classified*, all
sexual assault is demeaning, and one might argue, occurs with varying
degrees of violence, real or implied.  If we as a community do not respond
with seriousness, it sends the message that we tolerate a hostile
environment for women, or rather, that it is just par for the course and
part of being a woman in today's society.  We then place the onus on women
to not be raped (don't walk there, don't go alone, don't wear that piece of
clothing, don't wear headphones, etc.), instead of sending a message that
this behavior will not be tolerated.   Additionally, I do not mean to imply
that boys or men are not also targeted for sexual assault, nor that a
catcall or grope is on par with forcible rape.

The women who were assaulted did not know if the assailant wanted "just a
grope" or intended them further bodily harm. Indeed, none of us have any
clue about the assailant's full intention.  Although most sexual assaults
occur by a known perpetrator and not a stranger in the bushes, the assaults
that do occur on or near trails seem to be *calculated and repeat assaults*
until the perpetrator is caught.  Hyattsville Police did know that there
was an assailant on May 24th, and Riverdale did not receive warning until
June 9th.  I think we can do better.

I did go on a run yesterday through Riverdale and did not see any fliers.
I'm not saying this is the best way to alert the public, but again, if one
is not online, how can we better get this information out?  How can
neighboring towns coordinate a more timely and effective and public
response?

I'm happy to hear that fliers are also in Spanish. It seems worth it to
include the entire town.  I frequently see Latino neighbors on the trail on
the Western edge of town. At a minimum, they can spread information word of
mouth.

Thanks very much for your time and promoting discussion around the issue.

Sincerely,
Alison S.



On Wed, Jun 10, 2015 at 4:24 PM, Vernon Archer <varcher at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Alison and all interested readers,
>
> First, I'm glad you wrote about your concerns and questions.  I've
> collected information from our police handling of the assaults and will try
> to answer you.
>
> We now know there were three incidents, but none of our police knew that
> there were *multiple *incidents until the second one was reported in
> Riverdale Park Monday morning (June 8th).  The incident that had occurred
> on the 4th, the victim informed the police what happened but refused to
> give a report, so there was very little to go on until a full report was
> gotten on the 8th.
>
> Also, for purposes of clarity, these incident are all "4th Degree Sexual
> Assaults" described as unwanted touching. While all crimes are serious
> these incidents are misdemeanors and not felonies. These assaults were not
> rapes.
>
> It was late in the day on the 8th before senior police compared the days
> report with what was coming in from Hyattsville. The next morning (9th) a
> coordinated patrol and plain clothes watch was put in place with
> Hyattsville and RP police working in tandem to prevent another incident and
> hopefully apprehend the culprit.
>
> Also, the morning and mid-day of the 9th, police created fliers and
> distribute them in the area, posted to their facebook page and posted to
> Town Talk and Town Announce.
>
> As I review the information, it took the police 24 hours from the first
> call of an assault until a concerted plan to work with our neighboring
> department in Hyattsville to preventatively patrol, seek the assailant, and
> notify the public was put into place.
>
> The police are always reviewing and seeking ways to more effectively do
> their jobs, and this series of incidents will be no different. That being
> said, 24 hours from first completed police report to full implementation of
> a strategy to  protect the public, apprehend the suspect and inform the
> public of a series of misdemeanor assaults is pretty good in my opinion.
>
> Lastly, when incidents that require public notice occur in the middle or
> eastern sections of town, they are done in both English and Spanish.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Vern
>
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/attachments/20150611/b392f368/attachment.html>