DC Police Chief to testify before City Council’s Public Safety Committee
WASHINGTON - D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith is expected to testify before the City Council’s Public Safety Committee Tuesday in support of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s $21 billion 2025 fiscal year budget.
Public safety aspects of the budget include funding for Community Safety Officers, the city’s recently opened Real Time Crime Center, and other new crime-fighting technology.
Lindsey Appiah, the District’s Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice joined FOX 5 on Tuesday morning to discuss the city's safety initiatives.
READ MORE: Mayor Bowser defends 2025 budget cuts, $515M investment in Capitol One arena
DC Deputy Mayor discusses safety initiatives, new Real Time Crime Center
D.C. police have opened their new, Real Time Crime Center. But will it help deter bad behavior in the city? Lindsey Appiah, the District’s Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice joined us with more insight into this latest effort.
READ MORE: DC teen killed in shooting during last weekend of 2023; violence continues into new year
The District recorded 274 homicides in 2023, an increase of 35% from the year before. It's also the highest number of homicides recorded in the nation's capital in over 20 years.
Carjackings nearly doubled, and car thefts were up 83%. Violent crime in total was up nearly 40%.
READ MORE: DC’s first homicide of 2024 reported on New Year’s Day just one hour after midnight