WASHINGTON — The D.C. police force has been shrinking for years, but on Tuesday, department leaders said things have started to turn around with fewer employees leaving and more joining the Metropolitan Police Department.
“Fiscal 2017 was the first year that we had an increase in the size of our force since fiscal 2013,” said Police Chief Peter Newsham during a meeting with Mayor Muriel Bowser and city council members.
According to Newsham, the department had a total of 3,821 sworn members after adding 84 members over the course of the 2017 fiscal year, which came to an end in October.
“I feel comfortable with the size of the force right now,” Newsham said. “One of the metrics that I look at is the amount of violent crime that we have.”
Violent crime, including homicides and robberies, is currently down 25 percent.
Along with more sworn members, Newsham said 58 additional civilian members joined the department.
“Whenever we bring in civilian positions, that increases the ability of our sworn officers to police our city,” he said.
Last year, there were safety concerns when the size of the force fell to just above 3,700, an unusually low number.
Department leaders blamed a retirement bubble for the drop. In 1989 and 1990, more than 1,000 officers were hired in 18 months, and many chose not to stick around when they became eligible to retire.
Since then, police have focused more on attracting new members and keeping veteran officers.
“By recruiting and retaining more talent from within the community, we are going to continue building a safer, stronger D.C.,” said Bowser. “Over the past year, we have put in place a series of programs and initiatives to enhance MPD’s recruitment efforts.”
Law enforcement officials launched a recruitment website that features employment opportunities and testimonial videos.
There are also programs that provide members with financial incentives such as student loan forgiveness, tuition reimbursement and assistance in buying and renting homes.
