Dear Neighbor,

We must ensure we promote crime prevention and invest in youth programming to protect and empower young people across the District. On Tuesday, the DC Council passed the permanent youth curfew bill that empowers our local Metropolitan Police Department to declare designated 8pm youth curfew zones for groups of nine or more kids under age 18 when they have information that these zones are needed to protect our kids and communities.  

This is a preventative tool to prevent large unsafe gatherings, and it implements a District-wide midnight curfew for teens age 17 and under. The juvenile curfew is just one effective and preventative tool to reduce crime that must also be coupled with meaningful investments in our young people. My Prosper DC plan includes several bills that create more youth programming in the District to ensure young people have safe places to go including on nights and weekends and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to pass and fund my bills.  

I also want to address the ongoing investigation at MPD into alleged manipulation of crime data involving several officers. Accuracy in reporting crime statistics is critically important for public trust and for assessing the effectiveness of our public safety interventions. It’s why I have continued to conduct oversight and send MPD written questions on their reporting processes for crime statistics. As MPD continues its internal investigation, I will continue to seek answers to these alarming allegations to ensure our local police department is operating with integrity and honesty so that we can continue to drive down crime and keep residents safe.  

Finally, this week, I held my final budget hearing for the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. The DC Council is in the process of reviewing the budget after Mayor Bowser transmitted her Fiscal Year 2027 budget last month. The next steps will include mark-ups in each committee. The Judiciary and Public Safety Committee will hold its budget mark-up on Friday, May 22nd.

Yours in service,

Brooke

Legislative Updates

Budget Hearing: Department of Corrections, Fire & EMS Department, and the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants

On Wednesday, May 6th, the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety held a budget hearing for the Department of Corrections, Fire & EMS Department, and the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants. You can watch Councilmember Pinto’s takeaways here.  

The Department of Corrections (DOC) is responsible for providing a safe and secure environment for individuals in custody at the District’s correctional facilities, which include pretrial detainees and sentenced inmates. Chairwoman Pinto questioned the department about progress on the public partnership model for financing the construction of the new jail. Councilmember Pinto remains concerned about delays with the solicitation process and is committed to ensuring construction of the facility provides a dignified setting for rehabilitation and reentry to our communities.

The Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department carries out its mission is to preserve life and promote health and safety through excellent pre-hospital treatment and transportation, fire prevention, fire suppression and rescue activities and homeland security awareness. Chairwoman Pinto questioned the department about the impact of removal of funds from the Workforce Investment Fund (WIF). Our firefighters union has negotiated its collective bargaining agreement for wage increases in good faith but there are no funds in the WIF. The District’s Chief Financial Officer is currently holding back revenue that could be used for the WIF for collective bargaining agreements and non-union pay increases for District workers. Councilmember Pinto will be working with her colleagues to prioritize funding for collective bargaining agreements and non-union pay increases this budget.  

The Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG) develops, funds, and coordinates programs that improve public safety; enhance the administration of justice; and create systems of care for crime victims, youth, and their families in the District. OVSJG issues victim service grants and justice grants to community organizations that support returning citizens, victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, our immigrant community, and victims of other crimes. Chairwoman Pinto questioned the department about the impact of the 80% reduction in Access to Justice grant funding. This funding provides critical civil legal services to District residents facing legal hardships with housing, family care, and domestic violence. Councilmember Pinto will be working with her colleagues to fill this $30 million gap in funding.  

Budget Hearing: Office of Unified Communications and the Metropolitan Police Department

On Wednesday, April 29th, the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety held a budget hearing for the Office of Unified Communications and the Metropolitan Police Department.  

The Office of Unified Communications (OUC) was established in 2005 to combine the emergency 911, non-emergency, and 311 call activities from the Metropolitan Police Department, Fire and Emergency Medical Services, and customer service operations. Chairwoman Pinto questioned the agency about the impact of the proposed budget cuts that would reduce staffing in key operational areas and about the concerning report from the Office of the Inspector General that revealed there are still several ongoing issues related to chronic absenteeism, lack of cross-training for MPD and EMS operations, and improving agency quality assurance.  

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) works to safeguard the District of Columbia and protect its residents and visitors with the highest regard for the sanctity of human life. Chairwoman Pinto questioned the department about continued staffing shortages, the impact of the proposed budget allocations for recruitment and retention, and how this funding will support MPD’s ongoing efforts to reduce crime across the District.

In the Community

Councilmember Pinto and Team Pinto recently have met with residents, advocacy groups, and local partners across the District, including:

• Swearing-in Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for 2F04 Benjamin Dalley as he begins his new role serving neighbors in Logan Circle

• Joining Ward 2 State Board of Education Representative Allister Chang to speak with our students about what inspires them to keep learning and growing at school

• Sending off our spring intern after a successful semester  

Announcements

LGBTQIA SAFETY

The Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs in partnership with LGBTQIA+ Violence Prevention and Response Team presents the Safety in Numbers Community Fair, a free public safety and wellness Event for LGBTQIA+ Community.

SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMMING

Check out summer.dc.gov for information on things to do in DC this summer and resources to support parents and youth.  

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