WASHINGTON (7News) — 7News has been requesting to speak with Kwelli Sneed, interim director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE), for months. Sneed has never agreed to answer our questions about the ONSE’s Violent Interrupter program, which FBI investigators have now mentioned in the federal criminal complaint against DC Council Member Trayon White.

White is accused of accepting bribes of up to $156,000 in exchange for influencing contract renewals with a third-party contractor that supplies ONSE with violent troublemakers.

Now ONSE said all future questions about its department should be directed to the office of DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.

“By: Harris, Donna (EOM)

Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2024, 12:56 p.m.

To: Kevin Roach

Cc: Castillo, Susana (EOM) Gleick, Daniel (EOM); Scott Taylor

Subject: (EXT) RE: Comment

Hello Kevin –

I am adding members of the Mayor’s communications team as they respond to inquiries.

DONNA HARRIS

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Communications Office

Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement

100 42nd Street, NE

Washington, DC 20019″

Last week, the 7News I-Team discovered that some of ONSE’s third-party contractors were missing required records of their work for the district.

RELATED | DC department named in federal case against Trayon White missing violence interrupter records

7News presented our questions to the mayor on Monday morning, including why she is blocking our access to ONSE Director Sneed.

“Mayor, would you allow the director of DYRS and ONSE to speak?” asked Kevin Roach, executive producer of the 7News I-Team.

“About what?” asked Mayor Bowser.

“They pass everything on to you,” added Roach.

“Okay, and that’s where the questions should go,” said Bowser.

“To them and they may speak?” asked Roach.

“About what? What is your question? Tell me?” said Bowser.

“What’s going on with Trayon White and ONES?” asked Roach.

“I don’t know, as I mentioned, we have a process and an internal process that we have nothing to add to at this time,” Bowser said.

“What about the directors?” asked Roach.

“They have nothing to add either, but if we do something, we will share it,” Bowser added.

7News also asked the mayor when she last spoke with Councilman White, who is currently under federal investigation. This is the second FBI investigation into government officials in Washington DC in the last six months.

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“Mayor, have you spoken to Trayon White?” asked Roach.

“I didn’t,” said Bowser.

The 7News I-Team found through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that the mayor spent 30 minutes with DC Council Member White on July 22. It was a Monday, just four days before White accepted a $15,000 bribe, according to investigators.

The meeting will take place between the mayor’s weekly briefing with DC Police Chief Pam Smith and a meeting with DC Council President Phil Mendelson.

“When was the last time you spoke to Trayon White?” asked Roach.

“I don’t know. I can’t say,” Bowser replied.

The Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS), the other Washington District department named in the federal criminal complaint, also told 7News that any questions about DYRS should be directed to Mayor Bowser.