Dear Neighbor,
On Monday, March 11th, Mayor Bowser signed my Secure DC public safety omnibus bill into law - representing a major turning point toward a safer and more secure DC. Fortunately, this bill was signed into law on a permanent basis and also on an emergency basis, which means that most of its provisions can take effect immediately.
I will always fight for the safety and wellbeing of all our neighbors. Regardless of the neighborhood you live in, work in, or visit, everyone deserves to be safe.
I am so grateful for your continued engagement and support throughout the process of crafting this landmark legislation. I want to share with you a video of my full remarks from the bill signing celebrating this momentous occasion.
Secure DC will make the District safer and more secure and implementation of these critical provisions will be my continued priority. To learn more about Secure DC, please visit my website at www.brookepintodc.com.
Yours in service,
Brooke
The Secure DC Omnibus contains over 100 interventions to improve safety and includes provisions from Councilmember Pinto’s Secure DC Plan of over 12 different pieces of legislation, along with Mayor Bowser’s Safer Stronger and ACT Now bills and proposals from other Council colleagues. The Secure DC Omnibus includes the following initiatives, among others:
Prevention and Ending Cycles of Violence
- Safe Commercial Corridors: Establish a District-wide grant program to provide funds for commercial corridors to put toward safety-enhancing interventions;
- Safe Transit Corridors: Establish a pilot program to install “blue light” technology and cameras in transit stations to deter crime;
- Drug Free Zones: Reinstate MPD’s ability to declare drug-free zones where hotspots of crime and drug activity occur and allow communities to reclaim public space;
- Prearrest Diversion Taskforce: Establish a task force to develop recommendations to increase diversion, treatment, and accountability for individuals who commit low-level offenses when appropriate;
- Hospitality Training: Establish a hospitality career training program at DC Jail to improve reentry outcomes;
- Nutrition at DC Jail: Set minimum nutrition standards for healthy food served at DC Jail.
Accountability for Crime
- Gun Penalties: Establish new felony offenses for endangerment with a firearm and unlawful discarding of firearms and ammunition;
- Victim Protection: Establish a new felony offense for strangulation; Enhance protections for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and transportation workers and passengers;
- Pretrial Detention: Creates a rebuttable presumption in favor of pretrial detention for violent crimes committed by juveniles and adults; require judges to explain decisions to allow for pretrial release in such cases;
- Carjacking: Expand the definition of carjacking to improve prosecution;
- Retail Theft: Establish a new crime for “directing organized retail theft";
- Filling Gaps: Permit GPS records to be admissible in court; enable the collection and analysis of DNA to enhance case closure especially for rape, homicide, and other crimes
Government Coordination and Oversight
- OUC Transparency: Require the Office of Unified Communications to publicly share data and metrics on 911 call center performance; require updates to the 311 system;
- Fare Evasion: Ensure civil violations for fare evasion can be enforced;
- Vehicular Chases: Allow officers to pursue vehicular chases if there is an imminent threat;
- Police Interactions: Clarify officer authority to protect the public, engage in arrests, and have transparency and accountability for these interactions;
- Body-Worn Cameras: Permit officers to review body-worn-camera footage in cases not involving a serious use of force;
- DC Sentencing Commission: Increase Council and Mayoral representation on the Commission with a fairer balance of DC representation;
- Gun Tracking: Require annual firearm tracing reports to help reduce the flow of illegal weapons into the District;
- Data on Programs, Diversion, and Sentencing: Require Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to share data on programs, diversion, and sentencing agreements.
Washington Post: D.C. Council passes public safety overhaul following historic crime spike. “We have a responsibility to provide for the safety and well-being of our residents, visitors and business owners in our city, and today I think we lived up to that responsibility,” said council member Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), who led the legislation.
Watch: Fox 5: DC council member Brooke Pinto discusses Secure DC Crime Bill. “’The passage of Secure DC sends a very clear message this week that the DC government stands united and together on this in understanding that the status quo is not acceptable when it comes to crime and violence, and there are dozens of interventions in Secure DC that are going to drive down crime and violence and keep those numbers low.’”
Georgetowner: Editorial: Thank You, Council Member Brooke Pinto. “It is rare that a single person can be pointed to as the catalyst for great progress on an issue as perplexing and emotional as crime in a city as diverse and politically savvy as Washington, D.C.
A year ago, it was hard to imagine that one person — especially young and relatively new to politics — could take on the seemingly impossible task of negotiating a new, tough and comprehensive “omnibus” crime bill for the city. But in the past few months, 30-something Ward 2 Council member Brooke Pinto has become such a person.”
Politico: "'What we’re seeing now is a recognition that we have to lean in and do more as government to provide for the safety and well-being of our residents,' said Democrat Brooke Pinto, the Washington councilmember who championed the crime package. 'We didn’t do a complete 180 from where we were, but instead we looked at the practical realities on the ground and sought to right-size many of those reforms.'”
Watch: WUSA9: Mayor Bowser signs Secure DC crime bill into law. "’Today I am thrilled and proud to join with thousands of District residents who are hopeful for a safer city. Today is a major step in the right direction.’”
Watch: DC News Now: D.C. Council passes crime bill. “’This is a real sign that when the District government stands together, we can really accomplish great things together. This bill was passed unanimously with the support of Mayor Bowser, and we worked closely with the Attorney General, with the Courts, the US Attorney, and most importantly thousands of residents who have been clamoring for change.’”
Watch: NBC4: DC Council approves crime bill permitting DNA collection before conviction, drug-free zones. “While the legislation must be approved by Congress, the Council will also pass an emergency version of key portions that will take effect as soon as the mayor signs it — as early as this week. That emergency legislation.”
Washington Post: “Pinto this year spearheaded “Secure D.C.,” the sweeping bill that passed the council in a near-unanimous vote last week and, among many other things, would allow police to review their body-camera footage in all cases except those involving serious or deadly use of force. 'We right-sized some of those interventions in a more balanced and appropriate way,' Pinto said. 'We have not swung the pendulum back entirely.’”