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Chief Lanier: Struck Occupy protesters stepped in front of cars

By WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON — D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier was a guest Thursday on WTOP’s “Ask the Chief” program with Mark Segraves.

The chief revealed new information about an incident earlier in November in which one or more vehicles struck Occupy D.C. protesters outside the D.C. convention center.

There was more than one vehicle, Chief Lanier says. One tried to get through “a small gap” in the crowd, and some of the protesters moved in front of the car.

“It clearly doesn’t look like he intentionally tried to run them down,” she says.

Lanier says she predicted the 32 percent rise in “snatch robberies” in recent weeks, due primarily to the recent release of the new iPhone4S and other sought-after devices.

“We knew it would,” she says, adding people who have these kinds of expensive devices should be very careful when walking down the street, or sitting at an outdoor table.

There has also been a recent spike in robberies at establishments like 7-Eleven, Lanier says. The police department has put out YouTube videos, like the one below, to help people become more aware of their surroundings.

Learn more about a crime spree against cab drivers, police digitally recording license plate information en masse and where D.C. cops live by listening to the full audio at right, or checking out this live blog:

10:57 a.m., while speaking about videotaping police officers:

Officers are so focused on protecting the identities of children and other people who are not involved. Sometimes they forget that as long as the area is open to the public, reporters and cameramen can video. I can see how sometimes this confuses the officers.

10:54 a.m., while speaking about a business trip to Dubai:

I’ll be one of four representatives from the U.S. as a part of a global symposium on law enforcement. It’s only 3 days. I typically don’t travel as chief, but this is a very important symposium and I think we can learn a lot from it.

No cost to the city, all provided by the organizers of the conference.

10:52 a.m., while speaking about crime against cab drivers:

We had a spree, about 11, of carjackings and robberies over a short period of time. We have made some arrests in those cases. We do think it was more than one group involved. We arrested a 15-year-old and 25-year-old working together.

We recently put out YouTube videos to help locals be more aware of their surroundings.

In the last four days, we’ve had a spike in robberies at establishments like 7-Eleven.

10:45 a.m., while speaking about breathalyzer tests for holiday DUIs:

Our arrests for alcohol enforcement have been the same in previous years. If you’re being taken for a breathalyzer test, you’ve already been arrested for other behavior. That doesn’t change in our enforcement.

10:42 a.m., while speaking about traffic stops blocking lanes during rush hour:

“It’s an example of ‘Darned if you do, darned if you don’t.'”

If someone is creating a safety issue, we need to address that.

For so many years, we were focused on fighting the violent crime and didn’t do a lot of focus on traffic management.

10:36 a.m., while speaking about license plate scanners, which save information for 3 years:

It’s the same thing law enforcement did on pen and paper for years. It’s the same principle, it’s just automated now. We don’t go sorting through the system for general purposed, we need a criminal predicate to look through it.

It would be impossible to think we had the time or desire to do otherwise.

We’ve made more than 50 arrests this year finding stolen cars.

10:33 a.m., while speaking about the D.C. Fire chief saying firefighters live up to 40 miles away, some in states as far away as New Jersey and North Carolina:

We can create all kinds of incentives for people to live close by. For special units, we have benefits for those who live closer so they can be recalled quickly.

10:26 a.m., while speaking about carjackings:

Carjackings are down about 34 percent to 35 percent. We’ve been doing pretty well with that.

The big issue I see this time of year is people at gas stations. I can’t stress this enough: Take your keys out of the ignition while you’re pumping the gas.

10:24 a.m., while speaking about protesters struck by cars at the Convention Center:

We haven’t determined it was the same driver. It appears that driver was trying to get through a small gap, and the Occupy protesters put themselves in front of the car.

“It clearly doesn’t look like he intentionally tried to run them down.”

10:23 a.m., while speaking about ‘snatch robberies’:

32 percent above last year. We knew it would, when the new iPhone4 came out.

You need to be very careful walking down the street with one, or having on an outdoor caf

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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