By Adam Pagnucco.

Below are the top ten stories on Montgomery Perspective in February 2023, ranked by page views.

1. Mink Asked for Special Treatment from Police

2. Jawando and Mink Introduce Bill to Limit Traffic Stops

3. Five New Shocking Facts About Police Staffing

4. MoCo’s Recent Record on Police Staffing, Part Two

5. Elrich Wants to Create a New Job for Term Limited Council Member

6. Geography of Violent Crime in MoCo

7. Interview: Joy Nurmi

8. MoCo’s Recent Record on Police Staffing, Part One

9. Why Elrich Needs the Project He Hates the Most

10. The MVPs of the County Council

This month saw by far the highest level of readership since this site started back in September.  And there is one primary reason for that: CRIME.  I have lived here for nearly 20 years and started writing about Maryland and Montgomery County in 2006.  In all that time, I have never seen crime rise to the level it now has in the public’s eye.  Even Council Member Will Jawando, who once said he supported defunding the police, recently authored an op-ed in MoCo 360 on preventing crime.  But that did not stop him from introducing legislation to limit traffic stops.

The biggest single story of the month was Council Member Kristin Mink’s request for police assistance with a flat tire.  Many thousands have read that story on this site and who knows how many saw it on WJLA-TV, which got the scoop.  How many of Mink’s constituents will know just that one thing about her between now and the next election?  Her prospective opponent(s) have to be licking their chops, not only about this story but about her broader record on public safety.  We shall have more to say about that soon!

There will be plenty more to come on crime, but let’s also recognize a group of people who made a big difference this month: the county council’s staff.  Public safety analyst Susan Farag virtually ghost-wrote two of the leading posts this month on policing.  Former council and executive branch staffer Joy Nurmi’s interview made our top ten list.  And the council’s merit staff also received a lot of attention.  Whatever you think of our elected officials, you should rest easy that they (and you) are served by a capable group of employees.

Here are a few questions for the new month.  What will County Executive Marc Elrich recommend in his next operating budget, especially for the police department?  What will happen on rent control?  And when will we know U.S. Senator Ben Cardin’s electoral plans, which could set off a fall of dominoes in MoCo and beyond?  Whatever the answers, one thing is sure.

You and I will be watching.