Mayor Bowser Announces Focused Patrol and Community Engagement Policing Strategy

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced a Focused Patrol and Community Engagement Policing Strategy, which will utilize data to identify specific areas in each police district and employ focused patrols for proactive policing, community engagement, and problem solving within a small geographical area. The MPD members assigned to these areas will proactively engage in business and building checks, assist in traffic enforcement, collaborate with the community, and identify area-specific issues with police officials to problem solve and determine necessary solutions to community concerns and crime.  

“Everywhere I go in the city, from Ward 1 to Ward 8, the thing I consistently hear from our residents, our businesses, and our community as a whole is that they want to see more police in their neighborhoods. They want to see and know the officers assigned to their community,” said Mayor Bowser. “The idea behind the new strategy is that it will better empower our officers to be problem solvers for the community so that we can be more proactive in preventing crime and violence.”

The Focused Patrol and Community Engagement Policing Strategy aims to proactively deter and reduce violent crime, and to directly connect MPD members with residents and businesses. The patrol method focuses on increasing the visibility of police officers in smaller geographical areas that have been identified through data analysis. 

A targeted briefing will occur regularly, with the initiative being evaluated and assessed by officials of the Metropolitan Police Department and Bowser Administration, to ensure key recommendations and adjustments are made to address any concerns or issues that may arise. Additionally, the briefings will serve as points in which the geographical focused patrol areas will change based on continued data analysis.  

The benefits of the MPD’s Focused Patrol and Community Engagement Policing Strategy include: 

• Increasing visibility of patrols 
• Better use of personnel: More availability of units to respond to radio runs and actively patrol. 
• No “displacement” of crime. 
• A “diffusion” of benefits occurs. 
• Providing officers a varied experience throughout the tour of duty and an opportunity to employ multiple strategies and tactics. 

“As our city continues to thrive and evolve in an ever-changing community, it is critical that our department advances our policing strategies alongside it,” said Chief Robert J. Contee, III. “We have been faced with the challenge of implementing an approach that addresses community needs while simultaneously deterring violent crime. The Focused Patrol and Community Engagement Strategy will assist in tackling both challenges to aid us in better serving the residents and visitors of Washington, DC.”  

In addition to this new approach, Mayor Bowser maintains a strong commitment to MPD in her Fiscal Year Budget Proposal for 2024. The FY24 proposal includes investments to support and grow MPD, including:

• $5.4 million for continued investments in recruitment and conversion bonuses for new hires, as well as $1.2 million for expanded educational incentives.
• $2.1 million and 18 additional staff to support civilianization efforts, reducing the need for sworn officers to cover civilian roles and duties. 
• $1.4 million for 6 staff and programming for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as well as employee wellness and wellbeing, to help retain officers.

To learn more about Mayor Bowser’s FY24 Budget, visit budget.dc.gov.

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