COPE (Red Hat’s) Shaw’s historic crime fighting volunteer patrol group co-founded by Mahdi Leroy J. Thorpe, Jr and Imam Taalib Abdul Samad will host it’s Annual COPE Awards Block Party on Saturday July 14th from 12 PM – 4 PM at 1704 5th Street, NW rain or shine Insha Allah. COPE will distribute free bikes, food, non-alcoholic drinks to the public and awards to the Third District Police PSA 308, Asst. Chief Diane Groomes and Third District Commander Jacob Kishter. “We have been doing this for years and I look forward to giving back to the community and the police. I also look forward to to seeing my friend Ward 2 Councilman Jack Evans who will attend and we in Shaw miss very dearly Insha Allah. Some activists and ANC Commissioners in Shaw have tried to copy our crime fighting model without success. COPE Red Hats hit the streets during the Rayful Edmund’s drug dealing in the 1980′s and we changed Shaw by closing down 56 documented crack houses and over 120 anti drug rallies/marches for new housing and economic development such as the Kennedy Recreation Center, City Market at O, United Negro College Fund Building, Howard Theatre and Jefferson at Market Place to come into Shaw. I have been a part of every development in Shaw since the mid-1980′s” said Thorpe a former ANC Commissioner for 18 years and 4 as the Chairman of ANC 2-C Commission without any wrong doing on record with the DC Auditor Office, Inspector Generals Office and Board of Elections, Campaign & Ethics.