"We've been dying for years" | Critics say DC emergency crime bills come late for Ward 7 and 8 residents who are most impacted by gun violence

WASHINGTON — D.C. leaders say they are days away from passing new laws aimed at slowing down this violence by identifying new crimes and allowing judges to keep repeat offenders behind bars while they await their trials.

According to DC Police data, there has been a 33% increase in violent crime and as of July 10, 129 lives have been lost. Now, seven months into the new year, crime bills introduced by Councilmember Brooke Pinto are poised to pass in emergency legislation to be taken up at Tuesday’s session. But critics said the crime only became an emergency when it impacted residents west of the river.

“This violence was at first was only contained in two areas: Ward 8 and Ward 7,” said 8C06 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Robbie Woodland. "Now there's a trickle-down effect and it's spilling to other wards and now it's an issue. We've been dying for years.”

Commissioner Woodland described the criminal system as a “gumbo of dysfunction” but credits Mayor Muriel Bowser and Chair of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee Councilmember Brooke Pinto.

“Because these are things we've been fighting for and asking someone to take it seriously and introduce legislation,” she added.

The series of crime bills make discharging a gun a felony, strangulation an offense punishable by up to five years in prison, gives judges the ability to detain people (adults and juveniles) accused of violent crimes while they await trial, and clarifies the criteria allowing police pursuits to protect public safety.

“And by making sure that if someone has and ankle monitor and out on pretrial if they go out and commit another crime, that location information is permissible in court,” explained the bill’s author CM Brooke Pinto.

But Commissioner Woodland said the real flaw in the crime bill is not fixing the system that monitors repeat offenders, including making sure those ankle monitors have batteries.

“Oh! It’s greatly contributing to our crime problem! The majority of the kids committing crime are already CFSA [Child and Family Services Agency] involved, already committed through CSOSA [Court Services Offender Supervision Agency] and a lot of them have ankle monitors that are not working,” said Commissioner Woodland.

“I'll be honest,” the mayor replied to her comment, “I have some concerns about it. We'd much rather have young people supervised by DYRS [Department of Youth and Rehabilitation Services] where we have much more visibility. But in 1997, President Bill Clinton created the federal agency as part of DC’s home rule.

The mayor and acting police chief said in a news conference Monday that the crime bills will slow down the city’s surge in violent crime, pushing back on reports that Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said: “You can get away with murder in D.C." because police are not solving enough homicides.

“You can't get away with murder here, we will catch you,” said Acting Chief Leslie Parsons.

“The statistics tell the story,” said Chairman Phil Mendelson. “In 2022, only 35% of homicides were closed via arrest that year. The chairman said he supports the crime bills, but believed that alone is not the solution.

“Folks are looking at Council to solve this – I don't have a badge to arrest or a badge to investigate, but will make a difference is increasing the closure rate.”

Meanwhile, Commissioner Woodland said while not perfect, the crime bills are a start – finally. 

“Do I think it comes too late? No. Whatever help we can get right now will probably save somebody's life tomorrow. That's where I am,” she explained. “Unfortunately, we can't save the people who have already passed on, but we can damn try to save somebody else from dying.”