Mount Pleasant Public Safety Legislative and Policy Update

Community Engagement

MPD is conducting regular community walks with residents, partner agencies, and my team to identify issues and ensure we have the necessary resources deployed. The most recent one I joined was Sept. 14, met with businesses and residents to discuss recent incidents.

Multi-agency response at Mount Pleasant and Kenyon streets. I’ve brought out the Department of Behavioral Health homelessness outreach services and we’ve also had leadership from MPD in bringing together different parts of the police force and other agency partners that target drug sales/use.

Upcoming walks and meetings

• Mt. Pleasant Safety Walk convened weekly by Lt. Daee
• 3rd District Citizens Advisory Council, Thurs., Sept. 28, 7 pm (every fourth Thursday), 1620 V St.
• Brianne on Your Block, Thursday, Oct. 19, 6-8 pm at Don Juan Restaurant, 1660 Lamont Ave

Investments in Ward 1 & Mt. Pleasant

Made $4.5 million in public safety investments in Ward 1 in the FY 24 budget, including a dedicated resource to address substance use disorder in Mt. Pleasant. Expands the model we have successfully piloted in Columbia Heights. districtbridges.org/ecosystem-development/columbia-heights-civic-plaza-for-all

Continued investment in Amigos Park at the corner of Mount Pleasant and Kenyon streets. Design and landscape planning work has been done with FY23 dollars I secured, and funds I put in place for FY24 will be used to gather public input, assemble the parcels, and begin construction.

Other nearby investments include violence prevention in Columbia Heights, safety ambassadors in Adams Morgan, traffic control officers at 14th & Irving, $800,000 for improvements to streateries on 18th Street and in Mount Pleasant.

Established the Main Street program, which is run by District Bridges. They do one-on-one support, help us get businesses connected with federal and local resources (this was huge during the pandemic), and host special events to bring the community together. They will also oversee the community navigator program.

Committed new resources to the Clean Team that is focused on Mt. Pleasant and Columbia Heights.

Funds in the FY24 budget to conduct a “public life study,” requested by Mount Pleasant Senior Village, to redesign Mount Pleasant Street and Lamont Park to better meet the current and future needs of the community.

Legislative & Budget

Passed the Prioritizing Public Safety Act, which gives judges additional tools to keep some of the most violent offenders off our streets and expands the Council’s popular camera rebate program. It includes an amendment I co-introduced which requires more community-focused policing and provides additional tools to deter crime, get guns off the streets, close cases and prosecute crimes effectively. I opposed a provision to increase pre-trial detention for youth and I will continue to oppose it as we craft a “permanent” version of the legislation this fall. brianneknadeau.com/prioritizing-public-safety

Introduced legislation to crackdown on fake and expired vehicle tags. My committee and the Transportation Committee will hold a hearing on this and three other bills on Oct. 4. The legislation gives DPW and others authority to immediately tow and impound cars whose owners have blatantly flouted the law by having clearly counterfeit, obscured, or long-expired plates. brianneknadeau.com/temp-tags-bill

Introduced legislation to expand the police cadet program to bolster MPD recruitment. The bill would increase cadet pay while they complete the program, making it more attractive and sustainable. The bill would also expand eligibility up to age 33. Over the last fiscal year, MPD gained only 89 new officers, while losing 190 officers. brianneknadeau.com/cadet-bill

Restored more than 50 positions at DPW, including 28 parking enforcement and five positions for an additional booting team. Stronger parking enforcement is one tool for combatting reckless driving. brianneknadeau.com/ward1-budget-update

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