Press Release: Chairman Mendelson Introduces Police Accountability Legislation Based on Reform Commission Recommendations

News Release — DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Tuesday July 13, 2021

CONTACT: Lindsey Walton

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday Chairman Phil Mendelson introduced Bill 24-356 the “Strengthening Oversight and Accountability of Police Amendment Act of 2021.” The bill would implement several recommendations from the Police Reform Commission’s report made earlier this year.

“With this legislation, I wanted to put a focus on holding our law enforcement officers accountable for any misconduct,” Mendelson said. “Police must be held to a higher standard. If the District wants to lead the country in best practices in policing, we must make sure our officers are held to the highest of standards.”

Among other changes, Bill 24-356 proposes the following:

• Establishes a Deputy Auditor for Public Safety
• Renames the Police Complaints Board the Police Accountability Commission
• Expands the authority of the Commission to review policies, procedures, trainings, and to provide input on the job description and qualifications of a Chief of Police
• Expands the authority Office’s Executive Director to encompass 25 complaints against special police
• Amends the Freedom of Information Act of 1976 so that disciplinary records of officers with MPD and the D.C. Housing Authority Police Department can no longer be withheld from the public
• Requires MPD to create a publicly accessible database for disciplinary records of officers

The bill has been referred to both the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, and the Committee of the Whole.

The full legislation is available on the Council’s Legislative Information Management System.

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