(NBC Washington)Both D.C. firefighters and police officers are upset over a new program that forces the fire department to help fight crime.
For the past three weeks, D.C. Fire and EMS personnel have been parking their trucks at high crime neighborhoods.
"It's to prevent things from bubbling up. The idea is that if you have a fire engine with adults there no one is going to commit a crime," said D.C. Deputy Mayor Paul Quander.
City officials said they just want firefighters to call 911 if they see suspicious activity.
The D.C. police union and firefighters union say the plan is not safe.
"I think it is a disaster," said D.C. Police Union spokesman Kris Baumann. "You're putting untrained, unsupervised, unequipped firefighters in some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in town to perform a law enforcement function."
Right now, the plan is to keep the policy in place at least through next spring.
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