It is a nightly ritual for the Woodridge resident. For five years, Ross has helped the Fifth District police remove prostitutes from the 2900 block of Rhode Island Avenue in Northeast Washington.

Ross and her neighbors will have a forum for their complaints June 29th when City Councilman Jack Evans, D-Ward 2, holds a public hearing on prostitution in the District and what the community and law enforcement are doing to remove it from the neighborhoods. The meeting will be at 10 a.m. in the council chamber at One Judiciary Square. Witnesses wishing to testify must register no later than 5 p.m. June 25th.

"We hope to provide a forum where anyone can express their concerns and focus on the enforcing of the current laws. I’ve heard complaints from Ward 2 and downtown of the stereotypical prostitute with the wigs, high heels and short skirts," said Michelle Sedgewick, a legislative aide to Evans.

"The hearing was prompted by several complaints in Evan’s ward, which is Ward 2, but it is open to anyone who has complaints about prostitution in their neighborhood," said Evans spokesman JoEllen Countee.

"I’ve seen them on Eastern Avenue up to Mount Rainer," said Ross, who is the neighborhood watch person for her area. Ross said she and a neighbor are the only ones in their neighborhood who confront the prostitutes.

"Everyone else is afraid. They don’t scare me. I tell them to get out of my area. They usually tell me to kiss their behind and I call the police. They all know me," said Ross. Ross said she has received criticism from neighbors when she confronts the prostitutes and calls the police. "I have a hotline to the police. The police are my friend. These people (neighbors) should be more appreciative of them," said Ross, who sometimes rides with the police.

There is a District law that allows police to seize the vehicles of "johns"—people who pick up the prostitutes, according to Sedgewick. "The problems comes up in storing the vehicles and when the cars are registered to the wives of the johns. We’ve discovered most are from Maryland and Virginia," said Sedgewick.

Ross agrees that seizing the cars is a good way to deter the johns.

"I don’t have any sympathy for them. They know they have wives when they come picking up these whores," she said.

"I’m taking care of where I live," she continued. "If I don’t confront these people they will take over." Ross said she usually takes down the license plate numbers of johns in her neighborhood.

"We’ve made 20 arrests in that area so far," said Capt. Michael McGraw of the Fifth District Police. Those 20 arrests in Ward 5 are mainly of prostitutes but some johns have been arrested, he said. McGraw said officers cannot make an arrest unless they see the solicitation.

"There’s a lot of people that walk in that area. We have to be careful. There may be someone out there who’s just trying to catch the bus," said McGraw. McGraw said the prostitution is usually seen around open-air drug markets.

McGraw said prostitutes sometimes walk across the District line to Maryland to avoid arrest. McGraw said he has a good relationship with the Prince George’s County Police and notifies them of any activity coming their way. The captain said he’s aware of Ross’ efforts and said D.C. police are finding new ways to discourage prostitution.

Copyright 1998, The Common Denominator