Public Safety & Government Operations

This city has overcome the stench of fear time and time again.

From my birth on 14th & Rst N.W. , to the present day, our city has witnessed a remarkable transformation in public safety and community stability. Violent crime has declined significantly compared to the conditions many residents remember from the 1990s. Since 1997, the District has experienced roughly a 35 percent reduction in overall violent crime, the result of decades of reform, community resilience, and sustained civic effort.

These gains reflect the work of residents, law enforcement professionals, and community leaders who refused to accept fear as the defining feature of our city.

Despite these improvements, serious concerns remain within Washington, D.C.’s public safety system. Residents continue to raise questions about police misconduct, emergency response overreach, and the limited authority of civilian oversight institutions.

If we intend to preserve the safety gains our city has achieved, enforcement alone will not suffice. Public safety must be governed with legitimacy, transparency, and accountability.

My administration will establish a citywide, tiered public safety response system in Washington, D.C., one that ensures every call for service is answered by the responder best equipped to handle the situation:

“Unifying Data and Metrics Act”

‍ ‍ Instead of our Governmental Operations: “Police, Fire, Medical” operating through separate systems, the city will coordinate them through one command center using shared data and AI-assisted dispatch. This ensures residents receive the right type of help faster, while reducing unnecessary police deployments, hospital transports, or preventable displacements.

Alongside open and auditable public safety data systems that allow residents to see clearly how policies are implemented, how resources are used, and how outcomes are measured.
This is the foundation of public trust.

When residents know that public institutions operate transparently and responsibly, cooperation strengthens and communities become safer.

By aligning public safety, mental health services, and community oversight, Washington, D.C., can continue its progress while building a system of safety that is fair, transparent, and worthy of the people it serves.

“The Integrated Emergency Services Command ACT.”

Too often, a single response model is asked to address vastly different circumstances, from violent crime to mental-health emergencies to family distress. A modern city requires a public safety system that matches the right professional to the right situation.

This approach improves outcomes for residents by allowing law enforcement to openly share metrics and data on the situations where their expertise is most necessary.

• Law Enforcement:
  Police officers will focus on situations involving:

  • Violent crime

  • Imminent threats to public safety

  • Felony investigation and serious criminal activity

  This ensures that sworn officers can concentrate on the responsibilities that require their training and authority.

• (NEW) Co-Responder Units:
  For calls involving behavioral health crises or emotional distress, co-responder units will pair law enforcement officers with licensed mental health professionals. These teams will provide immediate crisis stabilization while reducing unnecessary escalation.

• (NEW) Civilian Crisis Response Team:
  Non-violent situations including youth behavioral health incidents, family distress, and displacement-related crises will be handled by trained civilian crisis response teams equipped to provide care, mediation, and support services.

Public safety requires both effectiveness and accountability. Our administration will implement clear oversight standards to strengthen public trust in Washington, D.C.’s public safety institutions.

These measures will ensure:

• Community-Based Prevention; expanded investment in community safety programs and violence prevention initiatives that address conflict and inform residents of what the laws are before it escalates into harm.

• Binding timelines for complaint intake, investigation, and resolution

• Guaranteed access to anonymized body-worn camera footage for authorized oversight bodies

• A clear disciplinary escalation matrix tied to substantiated findings of misconduct

These safeguards ensure that accountability is consistent, transparent, and fair.

From the Chief of Police to the neighborhood public notary, every visible authority in Washington, D.C. must serve the same purpose: reassuring residents that public safety can be upheld without sacrificing dignity, restraint, or peace of mind.

A city is safest not when it is governed by fear, but when its people believe the system stands with them.

My administration will build a public safety model rooted in trust, transparency, and humane response, ensuring that every resident of Washington, D.C. feels both protected and respected.