H.R. 2096
We don’t have the officers that we need, and sadly we’ve lost 300 to 400 officers in the last four years … we haven’t had officers in our schools, and we have policies that make it difficult to recruit new officers.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser (9/27/23)
The District of Columbia Is in Crisis
The District of Columbia ended 2023 with violent crime up 39% from 2022. D.C. residents and business owners are under siege. Everyone — including members of Congress, staff and tourists — is bearing the consequences. In a shocking statistic, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) recorded 958 carjackings, with 740 (77%) involving a firearm — a year-to-year increase of 109% in carjackings using a gun.
In its January 2024 monthly staffing report, the MPD reported 3,215 total staff (non-recruits) — down nearly 600 officers from 2020. To emphasize this further, since January 2020, MPD has seen over 1,300 officers separate from the force, with more than 500 of those officers resigning, leaving for other jurisdictions or exiting the profession altogether.
| Offense | 2022 | 2023 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 203 | 274 | 35% |
| Sex Abuse | 184 | 185 | 1% |
| Assault w/ Weapon | 1,387 | 1,407 | 1% |
| Robbery | 2,076 | 3,470 | 67% |
| Violent Crime Total | 3,850 | 5,336 | 39% |
| Burglary | 1,054 | 1,092 | 4% |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 3,756 | 6,829 | 82% |
| Theft from Auto | 7,827 | 7,797 | 0% |
| Theft (Other) | 10,814 | 13,349 | 23% |
| Arson | 4 | 11 | 175% |
| Property Crime Total | 23,455 | 29,078 | 24% |
| All Crime Total | 27,305 | 34,414 | 26% |
How Did We Get Here?
In 2022, the D.C. City Council voted to strip officers of their collective bargaining and due process rights with respect to disciplinary actions through the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act. Congress passed a bill (H.J. Res 42) to provide these and other rights back to MPD, but President Biden vetoed that legislation, citing other provisions in his statement.
What Can Be Done?
Congress has the authority to ensure the safety of the District of Columbia and reinstate these protections. Given the alarming rise in crime in every part of the city, there is no better time to support the police officers and give them the resources they need.
H.R. 2096
- Reinstate collective bargaining rights as it pertains to discipline for the DC Police Union members
- Reinstate the 90-day timeline for disciplinary action, eliminating open-ended uncertainty or the prolonging of this process as a means of additional punishment
These two provisions are regularly cited as the reason officers are leaving MPD, and this narrow approach will offer the best opportunity to recruit and retain highly qualified police officers to enforce the laws of Washington, DC.
Notable Support: D.C. Police Union
DC crime data: https://mpdc.dc.gov/page/district-crime-data-glance