Dear Neighbor,
Our community continues to come together to inform our Peace DC plan and promote sustainable peace throughout the District of Columbia.
I want to thank all the residents who have been sharing input and participating in public events about my Peace DC plan, which will continue to drive down crime in the District and keep residents and visitors safe. In the past few days, I have joined residents at events in Ward 2, 7, and 8 to solicit very helpful feedback and ideas. I want to hear from you about what you want to see to promote peace in our city!
Peace DC builds on the significant progress in crime reduction following last year’s passage and implementation of my Secure DC omnibus package which has led to a 40% reduction in violent crime since this time in 2023. My Peace DC plan takes critical steps to empower youth by setting up young people for success and improving guardrails around diverted prosecutions, prevent violence by merging the District's violence interruption programs and improving training, oversight, and coordination, support our public safety workforce by creating new retention measures for police and firefighters, and reduce recidivism by creating pathways for formerly incarcerated people to reenter communities with stable housing and gainful employment. You can read more details about my Peace DC plan here.
On Saturday, we held a public safety forum to discuss Peace DC at THEARC in Ward 8. Residents shared ideas around family engagement, transportation safety, and the need to set up returning citizens for peaceful and productive transitions home.
Last week, I joined my colleagues Ward 7 Councilmember Wendell Felder and Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen in partnership with ANC Commissioner Ashley Ruff in a community walk in Ward 7 to hear directly from residents about their public safety concerns. The people who live in our communities are always who drive the most creative and productive solutions that work for DC residents.
I, along with my Council colleagues and the Mayor, am continuing to urge the U.S. House of Representatives to quickly pass a fix to restore DC’s budget after Congress cut it by more than $1 billion in the Continuing Resolution (CR). We need this fix in order to prevent disruptions to our police, fire and EMS, schools, and other critical services. I have been meeting with and working with Congressional lawmakers from both parties to ensure Congress acts swifty to protect the District.
Finally, I want to congratulate Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals for Ovi breaking the NHL record for most goals! Go Caps!
Yours in Service,
Brooke
Peace DC Plan Hearings
The Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety (JPS) will be holding public hearings on April 23 and April 24 to discuss Councilmember Pinto’s Peace DC plan.
The April 23rd hearing will include public witnesses. You can sign up to testify here.
The April 24th hearing will include government witnesses.
During these hearings, we will discuss the following proposal and bills:
- Councilmember Pinto’s proposed merger of the District’s violence interruption programs
- B26-188, “Pretrial Detention Amendment Act of 2025”
- B26-204 “Safe Passage Training and School Engagement Amendment Act of 2025”
- B26-186 “Justice-Involved Youth in Community Act of 2025”
- B26-027 “Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment Act of 2025”
- B26-187 “Metropolitan Police Department Training Academy College Credit Opportunity Amendment Act of 2025”
- B26-189 “Residential Tranquility Amendment Act of 2025”
- B26-203, “Kidnapping Amendment Act of 2025”
Performance Oversight
The Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety has completed this year’s performance oversight hearings for District agencies under its purview. The Committee conducts oversight of agencies that affect criminal law and procedure, juvenile justice, police protection, correctional institutions, fire prevention, emergency medical services, homeland security, criminal justice, and public safety.
On March 11th, the Committee heard from the Office of Police Complaints (OPC) and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
OPC investigates, mediates, and adjudicates complaints against MPD officers, as well as the DC Housing Authority Police Department. OPC also makes policy recommendations to the Council, the Mayor, and MPD and DCHAPD to ensure our police departments are employing best practices that enhance public safety and promote trust within the communities they serve. During the oversight hearing, the Committee discussed several priorities Councilmember Pinto has for OPC including:
- Monitoring trends in public complaints
- Continuing to increase public awareness about the complaint process
MPD is the primary law enforcement agency in the District and provides crime prevention and investigation services, as well as emergency response services. During the oversight hearing, the Committee discussed several priorities Councilmember Pinto has for MPD including:
- Continuing to drive down violent crime across the District
- Monitoring officer compliance with MPD policies and the law
Banning Cell Phones in School
The Council held a public hearing on Councilmember Pinto’s legislation, the Heads Up! Distraction-Free Learning Amendment Act of 2025, which prohibits students from using personal cell phones and other wireless communication devices during the full school day. We want to thank the more than 70 public witnesses who participated and shared their input. We must empower our students and teachers to do what they do best. Let’s get this bill passed and implemented for the start of the next school year!
Over the last two weeks, Councilmember Pinto and Team Pinto have met with residents, advocacy groups, and District officials in Ward 2 and across the District, including:
- Participating in a panel hosted by the DC Nightlife Council to hear from business owners and discuss our efforts to keep employees, customers, and business owners safe and thriving in the District.
- Attending DC Reentry Action Network (RAN) general body meeting to discuss our shared goals of providing support for formerly incarcerated people reentering our communities.
- Attending the Women Leaders Celebration for Women’s History Month hosted by the Woman’s National Democratic Club.
- Meeting with Gallery Place/Chinatown Task Force to discuss our ongoing efforts to revitalize the neighborhoods and help bring in and keep businesses here.
- Meeting with Shakespeare Theatre Company to discuss upcoming artistic programs and our ongoing efforts to support arts and entertainment venues in our city.
- Holding Ward 7 community walk with Ward 7 Councilmember Wendell Felder, Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, and ANC Commissioner Ashley Ruff to hear from the community about their public safety priorities.
- Hosting Ward 8 Public Safety Forum to share details about Councilmember Pinto’s Peace DC plan and speak with residents about what they want to see to promote sustainable peace in our communities.
- Attending the Georgetown Main Streets Annual Meeting to discuss our shared goals of supporting small businesses and new development for a thriving local economy.
- Meeting with the Fair Budget Coalition to discuss Councilmember Pinto’s budget priorities for the upcoming year. We must prioritize continuing to improve public safety, invest in public education, and ensure economic resiliency across the District.
- Attending a community walk with the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS), the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), and the Foggy Bottom Association to discuss efforts to connect unhoused residents in Foggy Bottom and West End with services and housing and to ensure green spaces are left in clean condition.
- Attending Washington Nationals game at Nationals Park to root for the Nats!
- Attending the Greater Washington Board of Trade Mid-Winter Dinner to connect with regional leaders and discuss ways we can collaborate to best help the region grow and succeed.
- Attending a Cure the Streets site visit with Attorney General Brian Schwalb in Washington Highlands to review the violence interruption program operations and meet with VI workers.
- Attending ANC meetings for ANCs 2A, 2B, 2D, 2E and 2G
2025 Earth Day Cleanup
Join Councilmember Pinto, Shaw Main Streets, District Cleanups, and the Logan Circle Community Association for an Earth Day cleanup on Saturday April 12! You can sign up to join here.
DC Reading Champions
We want to give a big congratulations to the 5th Grade class at the John Francis Education Campus for winning the District of Columbia State Reading Championship! This is such a big accomplishment, and we are so proud of you all! Keep reading!
LISTEN TO WAMU: The Politics Hour with Councilmember Brooke Pinto
“Late last week, President Trump issued an executive order creating a task force aimed at crime and immigrants in the District. While many details remain vague, D.C. officials are on high alert awaiting a House vote on a bill preventing a billion-dollar cut in the city’s spending. Ward 2 D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto weighed in on Republican attempts to exert more control over the District.”
WATCH NBC4: Peace DC: Council member has 4-part plan to cut crime, combine violence interruption programs
“Violent crime in D.C. has trended downward since last year. D.C. police and Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office have attributed the trend in part to a major piece of crime legislation the D.C. Council passed last year. Councilmember Brooke Pinto put forward a new plan on Monday to keep momentum going. Her four-part “Peace DC” plan has four major components, including calling for a merger of the city’s violence interruption programs. “We have to build on that progress and continue to fill gaps in our system and do more to promote peace so that everybody in Washington, D.C. can be safe,” said Pinto, who is chair of the council’s public safety committee.”
READ THE WASHINGTON POST: D.C. lawmaker’s ‘peace plan’ would merge dual anti-violence programs
“The plan from council member Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) to merge the programs came as part of a broader strategy she announced to improve public safety, including a proposal to permanently expand pretrial detention for people charged with violent crimes, as well as proposals for more supervision of certain youths charged with crimes and increasing job opportunities for adults returning from prison.”
WATCH WUSA9: DC public schools holds debate over proposed cellphone ban
“Councilmember Brooke Pinto, who introduced the bill in late January, organized the listening session to gather feedback from the community. Pinto acknowledged the ongoing debate around the issue and noted that a significant concern among participants was ensuring students with disabilities have access to phones when needed... Another major topic discussed was the concerns around having phones in schools during emergencies and the ability able to get in touch with family members. Pinto said that the goal of the bill is to reduce distractions and ensure students are paying attention during critical situations. “If something terrible were to happen in a school, the last thing we want our students to do is look down, be on their cellphones,” Pinto said. “We need them to listen to the adult in the room.”
Councilmember Brooke Pinto, Ward 2
• Chairwoman, Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
• Committee on Business and Economic Development
• Committee on Housing
• Committee on Youth Affairs
Address: 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 106 | Washington, DC 20004
Call: (202) 724-8058 | Contact Us: www.brookepintodc.com/help