Background: The new MPD Chief must address the Department’s long history of failure to hold officers accountable when they violate District law and Department policies. Failures of accountability weaken public trust in officers and the Department as a whole, making it more difficult to address community needs and public safety concerns.
More broadly, District leaders, including the new Chief, must recognize that creating an environment in which people across the District feel safe will require investment in a range of District agencies, as well as community organizations, which can respond to the specific needs that people experience more effectively. Public safety discussions should not center MPD, or equate police with public safety. District leaders must think beyond “crime and punishment” approaches that have devastated District communities.
Our Position: The next MPD Chief must address long-standing failures of accountability within MPD. Further, the next MPD Chief must embrace a comprehensive vision of public safety that reduces the role of law enforcement.