D.C. Council rejects emergency bill to give retention bonuses to retiring police officers

The D.C. Council rejected Tuesday an emergency bill that would have offered retention bonuses to retiring Metropolitan Police officers.

In a 9-4 vote, the majority of the lawmakers followed the suggestion of council member Charles Allen, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, who said that passing the legislation as an emergency measure — without committee hearings or two votes for approval — would be hasty.

“The Gray proposal merits a conversation and a hearing,” Mr. Allen, Ward 6 Democrat, said before the vote. “It’s a very interesting idea that we have to look at and explore.”

He was referring to the legislation’s chief sponsor — council member Vincent Gray, Ward 7 Democrat.

“I agree that we have a need to stabilize our police force. Attrition needs to be taken seriously,” Mr. Allen said. “I’m not sure passing it on emergency is the right way to go. We need a comprehensive solution. And we need to make sure we have both the size and type of force that works best for the District.”

As emergency legislation, the Gray bill needed nine votes in favor to pass. Two Democratic lawmakers who initially had signaled their support for the measure — council members Anita Bonds (at-large) and Mary Cheh (Ward 3) — voted against the bill on Tuesday.

“I have been persuaded that it would be more comprehensive and thoughtful to think about all the options that we have,” Ms. Cheh said.

Ms. Bonds was more apprehensive about not supporting the bill, which she had co-introduced with Mr. Gray, but said she is willing to continue the discussion on the issue. However, she also offered a warning about the public perception of voting down the emergency measure.

“It’s no joke, and it’s not fun understanding and knowing the crimes that are committed continuously,” she said. “I am a little perplexed as to why we want to continue to discuss it and not send a message to the public that we’re upset and willing to take the important step to alleviate the violence we witness.”

Mr. Gray’s proposal would have offered officers who have reached retirement age a five-year contract extension, with double salary in the fifth year, as an incentive to remain in the police department.

At the end of 2015, the department employed fewer than 3,800 officers, well below the 4,200 officers that city leaders have said are needed to police the District.

Mr. Gray and fellow Democrats Jack Evans (Ward 2), Kenyan McDuffie (Ward 5) and Trayon White (Ward 8) voted for the emergency legislation, which, if approved, would have been in effect for only 90 days.

A former council chairman and mayor, Mr. Gray spent most of his time on the dais Tuesday trying to convince skeptics that more officers are needed immediately, saying his legislation was a stopgap that would allow for more discussion.

“We have an emergency now,” he said. “People who live on the east end live with this reality on a daily basis. I drive home every night to Ward 7, and the people I represent are sick and tired of crime.”

And Mr. Evans was vehement in his support: “We need more police officers. If no one else wants more police officers in their ward, then I want them. I’ll take them all in Ward 2.”

Some members, including Mr. Allen and at-large independent Elissa Silverman, offered other ideas for retaining officers.

Ms. Silverman said keeping young officers on the force rather than those approaching retirement might be a better way. She cited 2014 police statistics showing that only 17 percent of city police officers actually live in the District. About 62 percent live in Maryland, and nearly 20 percent in Virginia.

Enabling young officers to buy their homes in the District might persuade them to stay on the force rather than migrate to the suburbs after just a few years of service, she said.

On Tuesday Mr. Allen introduced a bill that would address that issue. He proposed creating a housing assistance package for police officers that would include a $10,000 matching grant and a $10,000 deferred home loan for officers and first responders who buy a home in the District.

“It is critical that our first responders live in the District, as this allows them to be invested in the communities they serve,” Mr. Allen said. “When I speak with officers, they tell me that the number one factor preventing them from becoming District residents is the cost of housing.”