Mayor Anthony Williams Monday asked the D.C. Council to cut short its summer recess to consider a package of emergency crime-fighting bills.
Williams is scheduled to brief council members today on the crisis measures. Council Chairman Linda Cropp has called a special council sessionfor 10 a.m. Wednesday.
“I am taking this unusual step because I want to give our police and other law enforcement agencies as many tools as possible to prevent the recent spike in crime from affecting the citywide progress we’ve made in reducing crime over the past decade,” Williams said in a statement.
The mayor’s plan includes additional overtime dollars to fund police officers’ six-day workweeks. The proposal also may contain a 10 p.m. curfew for juveniles and more money for juvenile violence-reduction programs, according to administration sources.
Police Chief Charles Ramsey has prioritized gaining access to juvenile criminal background information that is currently protected by confidentiality laws, but it is unknown whether Williams would try to force that issue.
Ramsey last week declared a crime emergency to combat a start-of-summer spike in violent crimes. There have been 15 homicides in July, and an 18 percent increase in robberies and 14 percent jump in assaults in the last 30 days.
“I don’t think residents need to be alarmed that safety is so bad that they need to be locked up in their homes,” said Council Member Phil Mendelson. “But the incidence of 15 homicides in 15 days is very serious and I think it’s warranted for us to address it on a temporary basis that gets us through the summer.”
The 30-day crime emergency provides police commanders more flexibility to adjust officers’ schedules and deployment.
Williams said his immediate goal is to reduce violent crime by 50 percent over the next 30 days.
The council’s summer break started Monday and is slated to continue until after the Sept. 12 primary election.
More on crime emergency
» Reward for robbery information doubled to $10,000
» Police districts increasing foot, bicycle and scooter patrols
» Selected officers reassigned to street patrol
