D.C.’s next police chief

Rashida’s statement: what D.C. needs in its next police chief:

“A police department cannot be successful if it does not have the trust of the residents it serves. That trust has been broken this year by MPD collaboration with federal immigration enforcement. Some of that was forced by federal action and some of it was because of unforced appeasement by the current District government administration.

“Rebuilding that trust is the most urgent and most important job of our next police chief. The chief and the department will have to demonstrate their commitment to putting our residents first, upholding our values, and adhering to both the letter and spirit of D.C.’s Sanctuary Values Act.

“And the next chief will need to do more than pay lip service to these tenets. They must have a record that exhibits their commitment to them, must pledge to hold the dignity of residents, and must commit to withstanding pressure to relinquish the independence of the District to Congress.

“Crime is down - but never down enough. The next chief will keep that downward trend going and recognize that true safety requires evidence-based approaches: investing in proven violence interruption programs, strengthening community policing and partnerships, reducing gun violence, supporting survivors of violence, providing our young people with alternatives to crime through workforce development and mentorship, and ensuring all residents feel safe in their communities.”

—Rashida Brown