D.C. Council pushes back on mayor's request to add officers

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Washington D.C. – The D.C. Council is pushing back on Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s proposal to hire 170 cops. The Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department is currently down 200 officers. Bowser requested 11 million dollars in the new budget to hire and train the new officers but at least two members of the council want to reroute half of that money to initiatives based on violence prevention and public health according to the Washington Post.

Bowser’s request for the additional funding comes as the city wrestles with a surge in violence but debate is raging among the council on how to reduce that balance. D.C. Council members Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) and Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) responded to the request with a “compromise package” that includes just $5 million in funding for new officers, enough to hire an additional 40 recruits in fiscal 2022.

The remaining $6 million would instead further supplement city programs aimed to reduce gun violence including “violence interrupters,” a program used in some cities that embed civilians on the streets to intervene with potential suspects before they commit violence.

“Council members support a combination of strategies to reduce violent crime. The solution can’t solely be more police,” Mendelson said in a statement. “Police respond to incidents of violence. On the other side, violence interrupters are proactive.”

In May, Bowser reduced police spending by $36 million dollars. Responding to concerns from residents, Bowser authorized “any overtime necessary” to get a handle on gun violence.

“We have the opportunity to stabilize MPD’s police force and avoid the stress and burn-out our officers face, while improving MPD’s ability to respond to incidents, close cases, and enhance the safety of our residents,” Bowser wrote in a letter to Mendelson and Allen, who is chairman of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee.

Bowser said the 170 new officers would boost D.C.’s police force to about 3,615 members, alleviating the burden on officers caused by understaffing. She said her proposal — which would cost the city nearly $59 million over the next four years to pay for uniforms, background testing and other costs associated with hiring — would mostly come from redirecting funds for infrastructure that would be replenished with federal dollars coming to the city.