

Photo by PoPville flickr user Erin

From a press release, Mayor Bowser Announces a New Focus on Deploying More Car-Free Officers:

“In her Second Term Outlook Address, Mayor Bowser announced that as the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) continues to build up its police force to 4,000 active officers, MPD will dedicate additional officers to community policing assignments that are deployed by foot, bike, Segway, and scooters. Currently, MPD employs over 3,800 sworn officers.

“We know that reducing violence in our city requires an approach that includes police involvement, human services involvement, and community involvement. We also know how important it is to have a police force that is resourced, trained, and that reflects the values of Washington, DC,” said Mayor Bowser. “As we continue our focus on recruiting and retaining more talent from within our community, we’re also going to focus on ensuring we have more officers out and visible in the community – on foot, on bike, and on Segways.”

During her first term, Mayor Bowser took several steps to increase recruitment and retention at MPD, including: launching joinmpd.dc.gov; implementing the Recruit Six-Month Rental Assistance Program; expanding the Employer Assisted Housing Program; launching the Anacostia Public Safety Academy, the Senior Law Enforcement Officer Program, and the Police Officer Retention Program; and continuing the expansion and enhancement of the MPD Cadet Program.

Additionally, in August 2018, Mayor Bowser, Chief Peter Newsham, and Chairman of the Fraternal Order of Police MPD Labor Committee Stephen Bigelow, Jr., announced a new collective bargaining agreement for law enforcement professionals in the District. The agreement, the first mutually agreed upon contract in almost 20 years, creates a clear path forward for wage increases while aligning fringe benefits with current DC Government packages.”