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Fenty Pre-Transition Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (API Affairs)Executive Summary
ADRIAN FENTY DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR THE MAYOR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRETRANSITION TEAMEXECUTIVE SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: To recognize the Commitments Councilman Fenty made during his Campaign on Affordable Housing and Analyze those Commitments. KEY COMMITMENTS:
FENTY PRE-TRANSITION ARTS COMMITTEEEXECUTIVE SUMMARY Chair: Judith F. Terra
Future Plans Include:
FENTY PRE-TRANSITION TEAM 10/31/06 CAPSTAT WORKING GROUP: DON WILSON, CHAIR CAPSTAT: ACTION OPTIONS PLAN --- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY“Now begins a new era of accountability in the District of Columbia – a new era where all of us come together in new and innovative ways to turn problems into opportunity.” Adrian Fenty CAPStat (the Capital Accountability Program) will be the overarching system of accountability that Mayor Adrian Fenty and City Administrator Dan Tangherlini will use to steer all D.C. government agencies --- tracking performance, measuring progress, uncovering gaps, and finding financial windows of opportunity to shift resources to pressing needs. An innovative program inspired by award-winning efforts in New York and Baltimore ---CAPStat will go much further than any other municipal accountability program. It will be a national model for mayoral engagement, making leaner government work through better focus, smarter use of technology, and relentless follow-through that delivers key results. It brings leadership to details and details to leadership –-- emphasizing swift action. It is ground up and top down, vertical and horizontal. Its transparency will allow citizens to track performance. The heart of CAPStat will be weekly meetings led by the Mayor with his key staff and the relevant agency head –-- in a “HotRoom” that will bring high tech mapping and live performance data to bear, driven by best practices tailored to District needs. Each week, a “RedBook” is prepared for the Mayor and Administrator to cover key measures. Executive dashboards on PCs and field ready Blackberry–like PDAs will keep managers and frontline employees across the government fully engaged. Citizens engage too, by channeling their suggestions and following progress. The CAPStat approach will drive agencies to achieve. KEY DECISION OPTIONS Integration: A CAPStat steering design committee composed of the three key aides of the Mayor, City Administrator & City Council Chair will ensure the triple effect of strong mayoral leadership, effective Administrator management, and informed Council oversight. A CAPStat officer will be empowered within each agency to make sure that CAPStat methods are followed, and each agency is well prepared. Leadership: Pre-selecting a CAPStat Director of Deputy Mayor rank or higher at the start of the transition to drive the process to initiation on Mayor Fenty’s first day, will be very helpful to success. Swift Choices: CAPStat budget & procurement will be done in November to be ready in January. Location: As the Fenty key innovation & reform – it is a natural for CAPStat to take over the Center for Innovation and Reform (CIR) and be renamed the CAPStat Center – also absorbing key staff from other agencies. Putting CAPStat directly in the City Administrator’s office will keep it central and empowered. Magnitude: A CAPStat core team of 9 supported by a tech team of 14 at a budget of $3 million is the size needed for swift and agency-wide work. Capital funding for year one will dominate. CAPStat Mayoral meetings will start on day one, and drive agencies up from 1.0 to 4.0 versions of maturity & effectiveness. Build on Work Done: Two attempts at establishing a CitiStat system have occurred in the Williams era. The new effort will make maximum use of experienced people and tech built. A broad range of existing nonprofit studies and data collection will be put to use. Learning from other cities will be leveraged. Best Practices Improved: A national consultant who helped build Baltimore’s effort and advises mayors on STAT systems around the US will advise Mayor Fenty on how to make DC meetings the nation’s best. CAPStat tech and consulting teams will spread out to agencies, making sure that best practices prevail. A world class “HotRoom” in the Wilson building will focus Mayor Fenty’s leadership on swift progress. The Fenty “Moving Forward” Team Meeting I. STATEMENT OF THE ISSUE: Achieving Democracy and Voting RightsA Fenty administration will aggressively pursue full representation in the Congress for people living in the District of Columbia. We recognize the irony that in our nation’s capital democracy has not yet fully emerged. A Fenty administration will take a leadership role in making DC voting rights a national issue. I will personally work with Members of Congress and national leaders to help them to understand what this injustice does to our people and our City and our nation. The Mayor has great power to engage national and regional leaders directly and I promise to take full advantage of that. I will use my powers as Mayor to speak directly to the Senate on a regular basis. I will also ensure that the commission created by the Council is appointed and includes special representatives, with international stature, who will champion our cause. A Fenty Administration will work closely with advocacy groups and those seeking to do business in the District to better advance the cause of full democracy in our city. We can no longer accept sending our sons and daughters to war to fight for democracy around the world only for them to return home and not have their own. II. CONTRIBUTORS:Kevin Kiger, DC Vote, co-chair, Democracy & Voting Rights Working Group * For identification purposes only. PLEASE NOTE: This plan is merely a compilation of ideas suggested by various contributors. It does not represent the consensus of the D&VR Working Group. DRAFT Action Plan – DEMOCRACY & VOTING RIGHTS WORKING GROUPExecutive Summary: START NOW
AS MAYOR-ELECT
AS MAYOR A. Inaugural Speech
B. Use Mayoral Powers
C. Launch Local Public Awareness Campaign
D. Continue National Public Awareness Campaign
E. Support International Public Awareness Efforts
F. Identify Local, National, and International Champions of Democracy
G. Institutionalize Congressional Outreach
H. Organize and Institutionalize Direct Action
I. Work Toward Statehood
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTEXECUTIVE SUMMARY DCRAThe perception is that the DCRA has been hampering the ability of businesses, homeowners and developers to easily and quickly transact business with the District. The Subcommittee believes that this is due in part to poor staff training, lack of technology, ill defined business processes, and poor management. So we are making the flowing recommendations: I. DCRA Staffing Problems We believe that DCRA has suffered a rapid erosion of human capital in recent years (through firings, quitting and retirement), the exodus of long-time staff has occurred with little or no succession planning, and that the agency has become “highly politicized” leaving staff overly “fearful” of making “wrong” decisions. Short Term Recommendations include: hiring a Director with proven management capabilities, and hiring a nationally-recognized management consulting firm to conduct a staffing audit and make recommendations on aligning staffing and operations. Medium Term Recommendations include: recruiting qualified personnel from neighboring jurisdictions, increasing the compensation of experienced personnel, and tying Performance Bonuses/Raises to Improved Service delivery. II. One Stop Shop Problem Statement One of the main challenges that DCRA faces is in coordinating decisions with other District agencies. DCRA’s inability to timely and accurately secure decisions and facilitate in securing decisions hamper the agency’s ability to render timely and professional service to its customers. This process must become automated, using a true e-government platform so that businesses and residents can perform these functions in real time at one place. Short Term Recommendations include: creating a blueprint with business rules and processes for a one-stop shop establishment at DCRA; and creating statutory deadlines for requested documentation/approvals from other DC Agencies that interface with DCRA. Long Term III. Technological Improvements for DCRA One of the main challenges facing DCRA is in the area of implementing and leveraging technology to improve the customer experience at the agency. Ideally, the goal is to ensure that DCRA constituents are able to complete all forms on-line, and to have DCRA electronically issue permits back to applicants and allow applicants to track the status of their permit online. Recommendations include: deploying XML forms to allow for true E-commerce/online use; enabling customers to have access to and fill out electronic forms, offering electronic distribution of Permits, enabling business corporations to incorporate online and receive confirmation via email. IV. Business Licensing and Permitting Many permits/certificates issuable by the DCRA now take weeks instead of days. Challenges in this part of the agency include: Complex rules and regulations regarding the permitting process itself; No set standards for review; No ability to electronically track status of permit in the sign-off process; Lack of clear and well defined timelines for review; Lack of accountability of staff for reviewing permit applications; No value added technology that can speed up the permit process; and Lack of a consistent customer service. Short Term Recommendations includes: determining whether private funding of additional staff is a viable concept, adding additional staff, on an emergency basis, to the Zoning function, establishing a 48 hour guarantee for review of permit applications are complete, and establishing separate units for major/minor permits, and streamlining permit process for minor permits. V. Records Issues – Need Better Use of Technology. DCRA needs to make Certificates of Occupancy and all other public records available to the public online. Short-Term Recommendations include: determining which records should be placed online, and procuring a vendor. Long-Term Recommendations include: creating technology revolving fund to improve customer service, allowing the private sector to purchase on-line access to certain records and use the funds collected to support further technology improvements, and assessing whether DCRA is organized strategically to carry out its mission in 2006. NEIGHBORHOOD FINANCING INCENTIVESThe Subcommittee has focused its attention upon reviewing financing tools which will encourage the creation/development of businesses (and, in particular, retail) to underserved neighborhoods. As such, we are making the following recommendations in response to certain finance-related objectives set forth in the Fenty Economic Development Plan: I. Allocate Tax Credits to small and seasoned businesses that assist with revitalization/redevelopment of neighborhoods all over the city We would recommend the creation of a finance swap team to (i) interact with the CFO’s office (and perhaps the Chamber of Commerce/Board of Trade) to determine the full range of existing tax incentives, and determine the financial feasibility of creating additional ones, (ii) identify both governmental tools (tax credits/TIF financing) and non-government tools (utilization of joint ventures, partnerships and fee for development business models) to facilitate neighborhood revitalization. II. Assemble a package of finance options and a variety of tax incentives to meet the needs of business/industry owners and encourage more local, minority-owned businesses (Public/Private sector loans, SBA 7A and 504 Programs, Venture Capital Loans, and Minority Business Loans). Our recommendations include: (i) exploring the creation of equity funds to creatively finance public/private partnership deals [One idea is to consider expanding the NCRC $150M Equity Fund with Morgan Stanley to $1B plus to ensure financing for citywide development projects], (ii) examining the efficacy of the District’s CAPCO Program; (iii) consider the dissolution of the NEDCO partnership, and creation of a brand new partnership with District banks, (iv) partnering with local, community-based organizations to develop small surface parking lots that support neighborhood-serving retail establishments; and (iv) creating venture capital funds to meet businesses’ working capital and property acquisition needs. III. Use Tax Increment Financing tools to create a mixture of retail and small office and/or business incubator development that will target disadvantaged neighborhoodsWe would recommend hiring outside consultants to examine how best to bring neighborhood retail to disadvantaged neighborhoods---particularly since it is less profitable development-wise when compared to housing products (thought should be given to creative solutions, such as subsidized rents, grants or other economic incentives). IV. Enhance the DC Main Streets Initiative to better target neighborhoods where services and jobs have been lost and there is no strong tax base. We would recommend that the new administration (i) concentrate on aggregated property holdings of governmental entities (NCRC/DHCD/OPM) for concerted development opportunities along commercial corridors; (ii) focus on small business lending and grants for façade and streetscape improvements; and (iii) evaluate the role of CDCs and assess how effectively they can operate with their existing resources. SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTThis Subcommittee’s goal is to enable the Transition team to plug into a fully articulated Small Business and Entrepreneurial development plan; and provide the new Fenty Administration with tools to hit the ground running. The Subcommittee has prepared a draft Economic Development Vision Statement which, in brief, seeks to establish a set of policies, actions and legislative initiatives that will create sustainable Business growth in the District of Columbia. Sustainability is seen as requiring a holistic, long-term planning approach, as well as certain general policy directions such as the development of Washington, DC’s 6 major commercial. To this end, we are making the following recommendations: Retain existing and attract new businesses, and encourage entrepreneurship in every neighborhood:Recommendations include: (1) establishing an Entrepreneurship Institute which will work with the DC Public School System, develop micro business formation and lending initiatives, and partner with the Kaufman Foundation for Entrepreneurship to foster an Entrepreneurial environment in the District; (2) Legislatively establishing DC Hub Zones which will enable the District to utilize TIF tools and, thereby, attract new businesses to designated areas; (3) Finance the existing Great Streets initiative with another $100M (appropriated by creating a development trust account paid to the city by Developers completing projects in excess of $1B of Real property value). This additional $100 million dollars can be used to improve the lighting, curb appeal and signage along these 6 major corridors. Another recommendation is to develop programs that encourage property ownership for Small Businesses within the City. Ideas include: (1) Legislatively requiring a certain percentage of CRA loans for commercial property acquisition; (2) Fully fund SBA’s DC Small Business Development Center with $500,000, enabling the City to receive technical assistance on Section 504, Community Express and 7(a) SBA loan programs. Finally, another tool in helping to increase the business presence in our neighborhood is by up zoning where feasible with minimal impact on the residential community. Promo DC as a place to do business:We would recommend reestablishing the Committee to Promote Washington. The new committee to Promote Washington will be focused on positioning DC as a great city to do business in. This Committee will work with local, National and international business interests and emphasize the economic power of the Nation’s Capital. Small Business DevelopmentRecommendations include: (1) Creating legislation that utilizes the Community Reinvestment Act portion of DC’s Bank Charters regulation and sets aside $2B for investment/loan trust fund, specifically for undercapitalized LSDBEs, (2) creating legislative limitations on portions of Agencies’ expendable budget which can be exempt from the 51% participation that is required by LSDBE Act; (3) Remove the LSDBE certification function from the Department of Local Business to DCRA; (4) Through the Department of Local Business Development, administer certification based classes that train appropriate DC government employees on the legal framework of the LSDBE Act; (4) Create a Task Force on Small Business that will review the environment for small business and recommend needed legislation; and (5) Create business incubators for LSDBEs, and provide a partnership by combining the technical expertise of the Howard University DC Small Business Development with the Department of local Business Development. Executive Summary: Adrian Fenty’s commitment to excellent public education
FENTY PRE-TRANSITION TEAM RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENT TEAMNovember 6, 2006 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Environment Team recommendations identify positions adopted by Mr. Fenty during his campaign and associated policy recommendations from the Team in a four page summary. The summary cites policy papers that are attached. Thirty policy papers were completed by the Environment Team, though only six are highlighted here in the Executive Summary (with quite a few more are in preparation). These six represent a sample of the opportunities offered by innovative solutions to environmental issues, and the urgency with which some must be addressed. Four of the six policy options address energy use and global climate change – the most urgent environmental concern of our day. On the up-side, addressing this concern permits opportunities for public-private partnerships, job growth and huge cost savings to the Government and citizens of the District. It is important to understand that we have lived in an era of cheap energy and easy waste disposal. Gradually, this is changing and the costs of both are rising. It was once cost-effective to save money with energy-inefficient design and construction of buildings because operational cost for energy use in the buildings was low. This has changed; and it is now cost-effective to save on operational energy costs by investing more “up-front” in design and construction. Operational savings opportunities also exist for the installation of new energy production such as geo-thermal and solar. Policy Option #16 identifies several “cost-neutral” strategies investing in energy efficient improvements to building design and retrofits, and paying for them with the savings harvested from energy efficiency over the pay-back period. After the pay-back period, the District realizes annual operational savings. While this strategy is attractive for any building, it holds doubly so for schools that can then shift budget from operations to curriculum. Similarly, Policy Option #18 addresses district heating and cooling and offers the prospect of District business or government generating energy locally to meet electric demand, heating and cooling. This option improves the efficiency of fuel conversion to usable energy by about 70%, with equivalent cost-savings. Policy option #22 simply recommends that DC join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) concurrent with Maryland. The net result is that DC will receive RGGI allowances that may be worth as much as several million dollars at auction. Rate payers in the District will pay for this regardless, DC should reap the benefit. The benefit can be put toward several of the other policy options included in this report, but notably the purchase of low-emission, high efficiency vehicles for DC fleet operations – as described in Policy option #23. As with buildings, high efficiency fuel vehicles mean lower annual operation costs for the District Fleet – and of course reduced air emissions of polluting exhaust. Policy option #1, Clean and Healthy Neighborhoods, identifies a strategy aligned with the new Office of Neighborhoods and Partnerships to address neighborhood quality of life across the spectrum of government services, and to promote active civic participation in the care and beautification of communities in the District. Finally, on an urgent note, the new administration must address the still unresolved problem of responsibility for storm-water management in the District. Policy option paper #24 provides background and recommends next steps. This is a multi-billion dollar issue that will reportedly raise District sewer rates 2-3X in the years ahead. This is a glimpse at some of the immediate innovations and cost savings available, as well as an urgent issue that requires immediate attention. In addition, the team assembled 24 other recommendations responsive to Adrian Fenty’s campaign statements such as policies for the new Department of Environment. These policy options only skim the surface of what the Environment Team hopes to offer the Transition Team in the months ahead, as we look to the larger universe of best practices for protection of human health and the environment. Fenty GLBT Pre-transition Team ReportExecutive Summary The GLBT community plays a large role in the life of the District of Columbia. The community has a stake in every area of life including education, religion, economic development, housing development, the arts and the rebuilding of our neighborhoods and communities. A Fenty administration must make a bold statement in its first days by:
Within the first 90 days a Fenty administration will:
Within the first Year a Fenty administration will:
Fenty Pre-Transition Health TeamAnalysis and Recommendations of Adrian Fenty’s Vision for a Healthy City (Executive Summary) James A. D’Orta, MD, Co-Chairman October 31, 2006 1. Comprehensive Health Systems Plan – Healthy People 2010
2. Providing Accessible and Quality Health Care
3. Strengthening the Health Care Safety Net
4. Winning the Fight Against HIV/AIDS
5. Addressing the Health Care Workforce Shortage
6. Prevention and Recovery Approach to DC’s Addiction Epidemic
7. A Comprehensive Mental Health Strategy
8. Reforming Emergency Medical Services
9. Healthy Children
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REPORT DIVERSITY/LATINO PRE-TRANSITION TEAMPresented by Arturo Griffiths and Jay Haddock ADRIAN FENTY’S VISION FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITYA Fenty administration will improve access to services for the members of the Latino community and ensure issues directly impacting their community are addressed. We will recognize the unique issues of the Latino community and will encourage full enforcement of the Language Access Act and hire bi-lingual government employees. We will provide appropriate training for government employees to better serve the needs of this Latino community. The growing Latino community within our city will be a full part of our government in a Fenty Administration. We will encourage a greater range of participation in our business community and will enhance the efforts of the Commission on Latino Affairs as they work to address the needs of the community. Demographics of the District Latino communityAccording to the official 2002 Census, Latinos comprise 9.4% (53,289) of the District’s population. Due to census undercount the figure is closer to 13%. Latinos demonstrated a 56% growth rate from 1990 to 2002, making them the fastest growing ethnic minority in D.C. By the year 2010, D.C. will have an estimated 70,000 Latino residents. As a whole, the population size of District children decreased by 3% between 1990 and 2000, while the population of Latino children grew by 66%. In consultation with the Latino community we recommend that the Fenty Administration adopt the following strategies. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Cabinet and Commission appointments: appoint 4 Latinos to cabinet level positions – including the Office of Latino Affairs (OLA). As a cabinet level office, OLA should have increased authority. Implementation first 100 days. 2. Increase Latino employment in the D.C. Government: In 2006 Latinos represent only 1.56% of the total city’s work force. This percentage has not changed in 15 years. Adopt a pro-active recruitment policy to increase the number of Latino employees. Latinos comprise at least 10% of the population and this should be reflected in D.C. government employment ratios. Implementation over 4 years. 3. Full enforcement, oversight, and funding of the Language Access Act. Expand the current number of individuals to implement and enforce the act and ensure its viability going forward. Implementation: first 100 days with total enforcement and integration over 2 years. 4. Outreach efforts: Increase the number of bi-lingual, bi-cultural employees in key agencies to serve as liaisons with the Latino community. Pro-actively promote policies which increase initiatives to reach the Latino community regarding the availability of D.C. government programs such as housing, health care, and employment. Implementation over one year after Mayoral order. 5. Voting Rights: Support legislation to ensure Latino legal residents have the right to vote in all local elections. Implementation via City Council in year one. 6. Education: With the drop-out rate among Latinos is the highest in D.C. and the enrollment rate for Latino students is the fastest growing, it is critical to establish goals for the Deputy Mayor for Education to tackle issues, such as truancy, bi-lingual education, vocational education programs, and literacy development programs. Establish a working group to assess the capacity and effectiveness of the Office of Bilingual Education. The Deputy, together with a working group, should establish programs to reduce the drop-out rate by 50%. Implementation would begin within the first six months. 7. Affordable Housing: Develop policy initiatives that address home ownership, access to public housing, and strengthen tenant rights. Implementation over one year. 8. Immigration: Reiterate the policy of non-interrogation about immigrant/legal status of D.C. residents by all agencies. Strengthen this commitment via appropriate training and enforcement. Implementation within 45 days. 9. Health: Strengthen and continue implementation of the D.C. Health Care Alliance. Reinforce the commitment to local and supplemental local funding for health and mental health coverage to low-income DC residents, no matter their legal status. Increase the hiring of bi-lingual medical professionals, streamline the eligibility and enrollment process for health coverage and pursue federal funding sources for health care. Implementation could be over two years and the initiative to begin within 100 days of the Mayor taking office. 10. Economic Development: Allocate sufficient funding to strengthen Latino businesses and organizations. Revise government minority procurement process to implement reform proposals that will increase participation of Latino small businesses. Implementation over two years. 11. Public safety: Foster safe Latino communities through immigrant-friendly, culturally competent community policing. Implementation over one year. 12. After the November election, ensure that Latino community members and pre-transition members be part of the formal Latino Transition Public Safety TeamEXECUTIVE SUMMARY Oct. 31, 2006 The Pre Transition Team for Public Safety report sets out a transition guideline designed to launch programs to achieve effective policing, fair and equal justice and emergency protection. Top priorities for effective policing is more and better presence of police officers on the street, both uniform and undercover. The challenge will be to speed up recruiting and training and find new means of inducing lateral hires. But it also means changing procedures for papering cases and improving the use of electronic communications. It will be critical to institute programs that enhance community interaction. This should include incentives to get officers to live in the District. Investigative teamwork will be enhanced by completing a state of the art forensic laboratory. Additionally end constant redeployment of investigative personnel and set maximum caseloads for detectives. Improving emergency protection requires establishing a new institutional structure for delivering emergency medical services. Separate EMS from the Fire Department and streamline coordination and communication among health and public safety agencies, emergency rooms and improve oversight and infrastructure inspections. Strengthening emergency preparedness and management requires improving coordination with the Federal government and states of our region as well as highlighting the District’s unique security risks from terrorism and obtaining proportional funding based on the unique risk. Fair and equal justice requires overhauling juvenile justice by stepping up prevention, intervention and treatment. Oak Hill needs to be reformed. And incarceration alternatives directed at early education, child abuse and neglect, after school needs and troubled kids are mandatory. Reentry programs for adult offenders requires a needs and services assessment, specifically a review of pre release planning. drug treatment, mental health treatment and employment programs all need to be stepped up. A better protection program is required for women and girls subject to violence. Access to 24 hour services is vital. There also is need for increased training of police officers and judges as well as increased availability of judge in chambers and on duty in DC Superior court. Fenty Technology Policy RecommendationsPurpose: This paper is developed to delineate specific task and timelines that will enable the actual Transition team to plug into a fully articulated Technology Plan; subsequently providing the new Fenty Administration with the tools to hit the ground running. The policies enumerated below will give the new administration the technology tools to improve the government’s business processes, provide transparency for citizen’s services delivery and spur Economic development. Technology DCRA (Vision Statement):Using forms is one of the most common ways for business constituents and governments to interact. DCRA’s traditional paper-based process creates communication that is costly, time consuming, and susceptible to errors. By using the current process of creating electronic forms that have to be printed out and filed out by hand, DCRA is maintaining disparate databases, incompatible back-end systems and a manual process that discourages business from operating in the District. It is our goal to deploy technology that enables DCRA constituents to complete building permits, Condo Doc certification, zoning applications and all forms on-line. Along with submission on-line, the technology will allow for an electronic signature with Plans and Drawings attachments in CAD. DCRA will be able to review the application and attachments on-line, as well as provide the application with a status of permitting process. Lastly, DCRA will be able to electronically issue permit back to applicant. DCRA Commitment:DCRA will become an office that retains and attracts new businesses to the City by addressing their needs in regards to opening, owning and operating a business in the District of Columbia. 1) Deploy XML forms for online use DCRA. DC government should provide hardware, software, and financial services that create the foundations for self-service e-business applications. The solution should be a combination of Forms, Database, Workflow, and eCommerce. The Forms Designer is an easy-to-use WYSIWYG e-form designer that supports the drag-and-drop creation of precision forms based on open standards including XML. The Forms Server enables the creation and delivery of XML forms applications and enables integration of e-forms data with server-side applications with a zero-footprint solution. Workplace Forms embraces XML for form data representation in an open, structured, and transportable format, making it instantly available and easier to aggregate. The resulting flexibility can help transform an organization from one that reacts to market conditions to one that leads and drives innovative solutions and capabilities. Unification of the IT Strategic Planning Process2) Provide a framework for governance of the technology infrastructure for the District. The framework ensures all projects at all agencies are aligned with the Mayor’s strategic goals and plan, and are driven by service delivery to citizens. 3) Adapt all agencies’ business processes to encompass compliance with federal security and privacy standards, to insure that the District resident’s data and systems are protected, and that the District liability risk is minimized. Establish Quality Assurance & Accreditation AgencyIn order to ensure this ‘new era’ the technology committee recommends the formation of the Risk Assessment, Quality Assurance & Accreditation Agency an independent agency that is charged with the following:
This agency will work closely with all 68 agencies. We recommend tasking existing agency personnel to work as a liaison between the Risk Assessment, Quality Assurance & Accreditation Agency and their respect agency. The advantages are as follows:
Risk Assessment - Expectations for improved governance have caused organizations to rethink how they manage and control risk. State and Municipal entities are reviewing the roles and responsibilities of internal review and newly created internal controls functions to respond to the new requirements. ROI Project Evaluation - The metrics must be open and transparent. There are a variety of collection methods used to determine ROI. ROI evaluation does not have to be restricted to a particular type of data collection method, such as monitoring of business data. Instead, questionnaires, built-in action plans, focus groups and observations are used in developing the complete profile of six types of data in the ROI methodology. Compliance – helps organizations on multiple fronts: security architecture, identity and access management, privacy and compliance (e.g., FIPS, FISMA, Privacy Act, HIPAA) and application security. While the benefits to compliance are substantial the penalties from the various regulations, laws and rules can be equally substantial. A brief look at HIPAA penalties if you are found in violation i.e.; HIPAA calls for severe civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance, including: fines up to $25K for multiple violations of the same standard in a calendar year, fines up to $250K and/or imprisonment up to 10 years for knowing misuse of individually identifiable health information Establish Commission on Technology.4) Establish a Technology Advisory Board, reporting to the Mayor, to help provide the initial analysis and make recommendations to facilitate a rapid deployment of 1-3 above utilizing federal and other municipal governments’ lessons learned and industry best practices. The Board would review in-place planning and projects, and then make recommendations for what organizational and business process changes would be required to insure all technology was aligned with Fenty service delivery strategic objectives. Empowering Women and Girls in the District of ColumbiaA Pre-Transition Action Plan for Adrian Fenty Team Co-Leaders: Janice Ferebee and Lois Frankel There are approximately 303,000 women and girls living in the District of Columbia. They outpace national numbers in such areas as employment rates, income, and educational levels. They promise to be a key resource as the District evolves into a world class city. But not all women and girls are able to participate, so the Fenty Administration is developing a plan to open doors to all of the women and girls in our great city, so that we can all contribute to and benefit from our promising future. Recommendations for action include, but are not limited to: The Engine Driving the Plan: The D.C. Commission for Women
Leadership/Giving Back
Economic Security
Education
Housing
Health and Well-being
Violence and Safety
Criminal Justice
With the foundations of an opportunity to thrive and to lead, economic security, education, housing, health, safety, and a chance at successful reentry, all of the women and girls of the District, of all backgrounds, can realize their full potential as an asset for the future of this city. Partnering our creative, home-grown program models with government, private, and community resources will lay the foundation for this success. The D.C. Commission for Women will ensure that this vision is carried out and sustained. REPORT OF THE FENTY 06 PRE
TRANSITION TEAM ON PUBLIC SAFETY Creating a Safer CityPre Transition Action Guide for the Adrian Fenty for Mayor Transition IntroductionDuring the campaign for Mayor, Adrian Fenty made seven promises to the citizens of the District of columbia designed to improve the city’s public safety and make its streets safer. This action guide was prepared by a pre transition team on public safety to enable the the transition team to focus on actions which the mayor could undertake in the first months of his administration. One of the promises dealing with emergency medicine and emergency preparedness has been split into two sections. That violence element of the Fenty promises dealing with Women and Girls has been incorporated in this public safety report. Part One of this guide is a summary of action items that the transition team must address from the following standpoints:
The members of the team preparing this report are listed at the conclusion of Part One. Part two consists of the background papers that are the foundation of this document and maybe found on the Public Safety blog. EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe Pre Transition Team for Public Safety report sets out a transition guideline designed to launch programs to achieve effective policing, fair and equal justice and emergency protection Top priorities for effective policing is more and better presence of police officers on the street, both uniform and undercover. The challenge will be to speed up recruiting and training and find new means of inducing lateral hires. But it also means changing procedures for papering cases and improving the use of electronic communications. It will be critical to institute programs that enhance community interaction. This should include incentives to get officers to live in the District. Investigative teamwork will be enhanced by completing a state of the art forensic laboratory. Additionally end constant redeployment of investigative personnel and set maximum caseloads for detectives. Improving emergency protection requires establishing a new institutional structure for delivering emergency medical services. Separate EMS from the Fire Department and streamline coordination and communication among health and public safety agencies, emergency rooms and improve oversight and infrastructure inspections. Strengthening emergency preparedness and management requires improving coordination with the Federal government and states of our region as well as highlighting the District’s unique security risks from terrorism and obtaining proportional funding based on the unique risk. Fair and equal justice requires overhauling juvenile justice by stepping up prevention, intervention and treatment. Oak Hill needs to be reformed. And incarceration alternatives directed at early education, child abuse and neglect, after school needs and troubled kids are mandatory. Reentry programs for adult offenders requires a needs and services assessment, specifically a review of pre release planning. drug treatment, mental health treatment and employment programs all need to be stepped up. A better protection program is required for women and girls subject to violence. Access to 24 hour services is vital. There also is need for increased training of police officers and judges as well as increased availability of judge in chambers and on duty in DC Superior court. PART ONE--THE ACTION PLANACTION PLAN FOR STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY POLICING PARTNERSHIPSIt is imperative to forge partnerships among citizens, police, prosecutors, courts, and other public and private agencies to prevent crime and mitigate the public’s fear of crime. 1. Enable and support cooperation between the police department and other public agencies and community groups and citizens in order to prevent crime. Which Agency, Board, or Entity can fulfill this commitment? MPD, Mayor’s Office. a) In order for this promise or any of the statements of promise to be implemented, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) must stabilize the number of police officers it employs. Currently, MPD is losing between 20 and 30 officers every month, including experienced officers and detectives who are resigning to work for other agencies or leaving law enforcement altogether. To put this issue in perspective, the Department has lost more than 45 police officers in the last two months. That is manpower, training, and experience that we cannot recover. Many of the officers that have left, and recruits that have decided not to accept a job offer with MPD, have done so because of MPD’s shift schedules. To address attrition and recruitment, consider making an immediate commitment to something as cost-neutral as 4/10 shifts for officers – a common benefit of competing agencies. In doing so, the rate of attrition could be immediately slowed so that there would be more police officers to deploy. Timeframe: Immediate. b) In order to build relationships with community groups and citizens, MPD and other public agencies need to design a system that allows for not only communication, but ensures that the ideas and suggestions that are raised reach the division or unit that has the ability and the authority to address the concerns. Consider having a lieutenant designated in each police district to oversee community interactions. The Community Outreach Lieutenant could be responsible for developing plans for collection and distribution of information from the community, as well as plans for contacting and disseminating information out to the community. Timeframe: Immediate. 2. Ensure police officers are intimately familiar with the community in which they are hired to protect. Which Agency, Board, or Entity can fulfill this commitment? MPD, Mayor’s Office, D.C. Council. a) Professionalizing the field training process, and integrating community outreach as part of that process, could foster better relationships between new officers and the community. Consider fully staffing and professionalizing the Master Patrol Officer (MPO) program in MPD. MPO’s are responsible for training new officers and experts in patrol techniques and the neighborhoods where they work. Consider providing additional training to the MPO’s on how to establish and maintain relationships with community groups. As the MPO’s train new officers, those officers will have an opportunity to meet the community groups and become part of the process of working closely with citizens. Timeframe: Immediate. 3. Give officers incentives to live in or very near the community where they work in order to understand its dynamics and help nurture relationships. Which Agency, Board, or Entity can fulfill this commitment? MPD, Mayor’s Office, D.C. Council, OAG, Department of Housing and Community Development, Advisory Neighborhood Commissions. a) Consider developing a program that would identify a location (or multiple locations) in each Patrol Service Area (PSA) that the community believes would benefit from having a police officer living there; acquire a property in that area; and then sell the property at a special price to a patrol officer, MPO, or sergeant who works in that PSA. Timeframe: Immediate: Set up a working group to identify the city agencies necessary to create the program. Long-term: Draft legislation to facilitate the program, identify necessary funds, and develop a process by which neighborhood groups could submit suggestions for properties. b) Consider creating a competitively selected position of Master Sergeant, which would offer enhanced compensation and housing packages in return for living in a PSA for at least a 10-year term. The Master Sergeant could be responsible for directing the use of police resources in the PSA and be a prime MPD liaison to other D.C. agencies. Timeframe: Immediate: Develop a competitive selection process. Negotiate with the Fraternal Order of Police to establish criteria for the position. 60 Days: Draft rules and standards. 90 Days: Identify funds for compensation. 4. Support partnerships between citizens/neighborhoods and officers. Which Agency, Board, or Entity can fulfill this commitment? MPD, Mayor’s Office, OAG. a) Increasing opportunities for neighborhood groups to provide input on the types of enforcement they want to see in their neighborhoods will result in better partnerships and communications. Expanding the type of community groups the Department interacts with will provide more ideas and greater dialogue, including faith-based groups. In addition, MPD should openly discuss its deployment decisions and strategies with neighborhood and community groups in order to avoid complaints and misunderstandings. Consider having Community Outreach Lieutenants establish regular forums with community, neighborhood, and faith-based groups. Timeframe: Immediate. b) In order for MPD to establish partnerships with other agencies and the community, it must be honest and open about its resources, manpower, and deployment. Transparency, accountability, and oversight of Department matters, including accurate reporting of manpower and resource allocation are necessary to build trust. Consider creating better oversight and transparency for MPD’s compliance with laws, regulations, and reporting requirements. The OAG is responsible for MPD’s Office of General Counsel and its staff of attorneys. The General Counsel and staff have not been replaced, reviewed, or rotated by the OAG. Consider establishing a mandatory rotation for a new General Counsel for MPD every two years in order to ensure the office is adequately performing its duty. Consider developing penalties for officials that alter or fail to disclose information. Timeframe: Immediate. 5. Protect and educate citizen partners in the Patrol Service Area. Which Agency, Board, or Entity can fulfill this commitment? MPD, Mayor’s Office, OAG, USAO, D.C. Council. a) Consider implementing a Citizens Police Academy based on the Senior Citizens Police Academy. Consider having Community Outreach Lieutenants conduct classes and seminars regarding police work and partnership-building out in the community. Timeframe: 60 Days to establish a curriculum and announce community classes and seminars. 90 Days to draft and publish rules and guidelines for a Citizens Police Academy. b) Citizens must believe that they can work with the police without fear of retaliation. Complaints of retaliation or intimidation must be thoroughly investigated by MPD and be a priority investigation. Consider establishing a working group to propose new laws to clarify and identify protections granted to individuals that work with the police and prosecutors. Consider having the group review witness tampering and witness protection laws to increase penalties for any interference or threats. Timeframe: 30 Days to establish working group. 6. Increase the number of officers on the streets. Which Agency, Board, or Entity can fulfill this commitment? MPD, Mayor’s Office, OAG, USAO, D.C. Council, OCTO. a) Consider overhauling the papering process at the USAO and OAG by implementing around-the-clock papering at the seven police districts. This would not only keep officers out on the streets, but would also significantly decrease the amount of time officers are in court. Consider instructing the Chief of Police to stop having officers paper cases. Timeframe: Immediate. b) Consider implementing a computerized reporting system that eliminates duplication of data entry and which streamlines the entire process by interfacing the police reporting system with the arrest processing and papering computer systems. Timeframe: 60 days to identify all necessary systems and agencies and establish a working group. c) Consider implementing a "take-home" car program for all MPD officers. A take-home program will immediately increase police presence throughout the city. Officers coming on duty can go in service (i.e., begin patrol and accept calls) without having to wait for the arrival of officers who are going off duty. Officers can be recalled immediately into service. Officers will be able to walk a foot-beat, but still have a vehicle available if an emergency arises. (Note: This will have the added benefit of reducing vehicle maintenance and replacement costs, as take-home cars are treated better than fleet vehicles.) Timeframe: Immediately begin assigning vehicles in the MPD fleet and begin the procurement process for additional vehicles. 7. Provide police officers and their partners with the funding, technology, and training they need to do their jobs. In addition, streamline administrative jobs so more police can be on the beat. Which Agency, Board, or Entity can fulfill this commitment? MPD, Mayor’s Office, OAG, USAO, D.C. Council, OCTO. a) Consider appointing a panel with a long-term goal of professionalizing and modernizing the Institute of Police Science (Police Academy). Timeframe: Immediate. b) Consider appointing a panel to review and adopt the best available practices and technologies for police officers. Timeframe: Immediate. c) Consider civilianizing all positions in MPD which do not require police powers. Timeframe: Immediately begin identifying positions. Long term: Identify funds and begin hiring of civilians. 8. Improve communication skills and tools of the Patrol Service Area officers. Which Agency, Board, or Entity can fulfill this commitment? MPD. a) Consider making communication skills a component of Police Academy, initial field training, and in-service training. Consider holding classes and seminars for officers and community members in the areas where the officers work and the citizens live. Timeframe: Immediate. 9. Encourage citizens to report unusual incidents in their neighborhoods and demand that police officers address all crimes – whether they are big or small. Which Agency, Board, or Entity can fulfill this commitment? MPD, Mayor’s Office, OAG, USAO, Public Defender Service. a) Consider establishing community meetings where detectives, officers, and prosecutors explain and give examples of how the smallest piece of information or cooperation has led to breaks in major crimes. Consider having the Department engage in a public relations effort to educate the public in the importance of their assistance. Make sure information lines are manned and the representatives receiving information are professional and supportive. Ensure all successes are widely publicized to demonstrate the effectiveness of the system. Timeframe: Immediate. b) Consider setting incentives for officers and police units making arrests for minor or quality of life crimes or taking police action for nuisances. Consider streamlining the court system for any minor crimes through the OAG. Timeframe: Immediate. IMPROVING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICESThe city must provide emergency medical service to its residents and visitors which is responsive and responsible. There must be a streamlining of coordination and communication among health and public safety agencies, emergency rooms and improved oversight and infrastructure inspections. 1. Establish a new institutional structure for delivering services. which agencies, board or entity can fulfill the commitment? Mayors office, Fire Department, Health Department. a) Consider the establishment of a restructuring team for the separation of EMS services from the Fire Department. Other district agencies have been restructured and should be studied for how it was accomplished; at what cost, the effect on DC employees and the length of time for accomplishing the restructuring. these agencies include DOH from DHS, DDOT from DPW, OUC from MPD/FEMS/EMA and DMV from DPW. b) examine recommendations and commonalities of four relevant background studies: Blueprint for Change--1989,Tri-Data Report (specific to DC Fire & EMS--1997), Inspector general’s 2001-2002 study, and the Inspector General’s June 2006 Special Report on the Emergency Response to the Assault on David E. Rosenbaum. c) Consult with Boston, MA, Louisville, KY, Charlotte, NC and Austin TX, all separate Emergency Medical Services , as to their best practices and operational strategies. d) Consider reviving the EMS legislation currently in place and prepare a process for selecting agency leadership. e) plan for the realignment of the Fire Department without EMS to reflect a concentrated emphasis on fire suppression, fire safety education, arson investigation, rescue, hazmat, and accelerated emergency preparedness planning, training and drills with city regional and federal partners. f) Determine the true EMS FY ’07 and ’08 budgets, including the amount of Homeland Security money, earmarked for EMS and how that money has been spent. g) Reallocate the revenue generated by the ambulance transport fees from the general fund to a newly created EMS Department. This may fund approximately 50% [possibly $10+ million] of its personnel services. Time frame: immediate 2. Co-locate the current EMS crews and their transport units, as soon as possible, to firehouses and other public facilities, such as MPD stations, hospitals, etc. According to the draft Comprehensive Plan, the Fire Department is developing (or cooperating in the development of) a "Public Facilities Master Plan" to "replace, upgrade and renovate aging fire fighting stations and other facilities such as its training center … fleet maintenance yard and … additional space for its headquarters." EMS headquarters and ambulance stations must now be included in this plan. Which agency, board or entity can fulfill the commitment? Mayor’s Office, Fire Department, GSA time frame: immediate 3. Streamline coordination and communication among health and public safety agencies, emergency rooms and improve oversight and infrastructure inspections. a) Reexamine FEMS personnel assignments and placements. Personnel shifts will take serious analysis and implementation. A Fire Department hiring freeze and operational moratorium should be placed into effect as soon after the November 7th election as can be arranged. FEMS is currently hiring firefighter/EMT recruits (approximately 100 FTEs) and a great deal of funds are about to be expended by the FEMS management team now in place. The citizens of DC would be better served by having these monies reallocated to the restructuring of the two separate agencies, i.e., EMS and Fire.] b) Reestablish the Mayor’s Emergency Medical Service Advisory Commission (dormant for the past 3&1/2 years)*; Emphasis should be placed on appointing citizen, medical and business representatives to guide the Mayor on EMS matters, once an independent "third service" is designed and established. Its important ongoing subcommittees are the Medical Control Subcommittee; Trauma Subcommittee; and Paramedic Review Board, all of which have immediate and critical purposes. It is recommended that the Mayor reduce the appointees from 30 to a manageable number of 3-5 per each subcommittee, plus an overall chair and vice chair. The EMS Advisory Committee should have staff and budgetary allocation. c) The EMS Medial Director, who now reports to the DC Fire Chief, should be reassigned within the Department of Health. The Medical Director should be responsible for the training (initial and ongoing), certification and medical protocol development for all three public safety emergency services: EMS, Fire and MPD. The Medical Director should not control or be responsible for the operations of the EMS Department. d) Coordinate EMS outreach with the DC Department of Health (DOH) to address injury prevention and the chronic medical conditions and diseases impacting DC residents, such as hypertension, cardiac and respiratory ailments, stroke and diabetes. e) Charge the Medical Director with developing a program to train and certify all (3,794) MPD officers in CPR and in the operation of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) with an added goal of having at least one fully trained EMT officer in an equipped police vehicle per PSA. time frame: 60 days STRENGTHEN INVESTIGATIVE TEAMWORKThe closure of a fair case is based on teamwork. To enhance the relationship with police, prosecutors, investigators and forensic technicians, the investigative process must be made more consistent and efficient. 1. Create more consistent and efficient investigative processes Which Agency, Board or Entity can fulfill the commitment? MPD, OAG, USAO, OCTO a. In order to create stronger investigative teams, or to address any of the promises for strengthening investigative teamwork, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) should address two threshold issues: 1) Transparency and disclosure as to reporting manpower and resource allocation. (For example, MPD reported 16 detectives working in the financial crime unit for 2005, when there were actually only 8 detectives handling cases.) Without accurate information regarding the actual number of investigators available and working on cases, any recommendations or policies will be in jeopardy. 2) Develop a plan for stabilizing the work force. In order for there to be enough detectives to investigate crimes, there must be enough officers to provide adequate patrol coverage. r. Timeframe: Within first 60 days. b. Consider ending redeployment of all investigative personnel. Additional overtime funds have recently been approved for voluntary overtime positions by D.C. Council. Consider using those funds to replace redeployment personnel. Timeframe: Within 30 days via General Orders. c. Consider setting maximum case loads for detectives. These maximum caseload should be based upon the type of cases the detective or investigator is working. Timeframe: Within 30 days via General Orders. d. Track the progress of a case from arrest until final disposition. MPD, OAG, and OCTO should work with USAO to create a system to track a case through the entire criminal justice process. Timeframe: Within first six months. e. Evaluate performance on not only number of arrests or number of cases closed, but also on numbers of indictments and convictions. Professionalize the selection process for investigators, detectives, and any special assignment positions for detectives or investigators. Consider requiring MPD to provide independent third party monitoring of all selection processes, including certification by the third party of the list of candidates and their rankings. Legislative – Introduce legislation to make this process required under the Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act. Have MPD work with the Fraternal Order of Police to create a system (within the confines of the Collective Bargaining Agreement) that could be used to provide an evaluation of officers and detectives. Timeframe: Within first six months. f. Consider stopping the closure of homicide cases administratively without outside oversight, and prohibit continued "closure" of a case when the charges are dismissed before going to trial. Have MPD identify and work with an outside agency such as FBI or other law enforcement agency to review such closures. Timeframe: Within first 60 days via General Orders. g. Require MPD to reopen cases when charges are dismissed. Timeframe: Within 30 days via General Orders. 2. Work with other jurisdictions to responsibly share databases, new forensic technologies and other resources to help solve crimes a. Obtain a state-of-the-art forensic laboratory for the District of Columbia. This lab should seek out and use "best practices" from throughout the country. Explore the possibility, until we have our own lab, of partnering with surrounding jurisdictions to share grant money and other resources to speed up our DNA processing and diminish the backlog of untested of evidence. Also consider partnering with a local university to jointly built and staff a forensic lab for regional use. The university could use lab for teaching of forensic sciences programs, intern placements for students and could assist the city in accessing federal grant money and money from our regional partners. Timeframe: Long-term. b. Test every piece of DNA evidence in our possession despite the status of the case (open, closed, dismissed and unfounded). Timeframe: Within first year. c. Place the Forensic Science Services Unit, responsible for evidence collection and processing, under the Office of the Superintendent of Detectives. Timeframe: Within first 60 days via General Orders. d. Enhanced and ongoing in-service training for detectives including effective uses of forensic technologies. Timeframe: Within first 60 days e. Create a single central record keeping database and tracking system for the entire police department, as well as revamping the system to make it state of the art. Current systems such as COLUMBO and WACIIS are poorly designed, have information scattered throughout the system, and lack quality controls. MPD currently uses six different databases to track crime. System should fully integrate with CapStat program. Timeframe: Within first year. f. Contribute fully, as appropriate, to national databases such as the National Crime Information Computer (NCIC), Missing Person and Unidentified Dead databases, the National Missing Person and Unidentified Dead DNA databases, and the FBI Violent Criminal Apprehension Program. Timeframe: Within first six months. One of the biggest impediments to these actions is they require a cultural change within MPD. Often the department is overly focused on arrests and closing out cases without regard to what happens after the arrest. In addition to MPD almost every agency with responsibility for public safety will be impacted; OAG, USAO, OCTO, and D.C. Superior Court, as well as other agencies such as DCHD to assist in developing new policies. A second impediment is money. The forensic lab is estimated to cost $250 million. Although Congress has promised some of that money, the District will need to provide most of it. The Fenty administration should consider making this an immediate priority for the new administration. Consider a goal of securing complete funding by the end of 2007. One advantage of combining a forensic lab with a bio-terrorism lab is that it would allow us to access more Homeland Security money. The Deputy Mayor for Public Safety should determine the actions necessary to move this project forward. OVERHAULING JUVENILE JUSTICEOur future is dependent upon our youth. reforming how we administer juvenile justice will determine what kind of society we will have. 1. Statement of the issue – Reforming Oak Hill "Far too many of our city's youth are involved in or harmed by crime. I believe that the government can intervene in the lives of at-risk youth so that they can grow into members of our community. As Council member, I have pushed the District to build a new secure youth detention facility to replace the crumbling Oak Hill facility. Smaller, secure settings with effective rehabilitation services have been shown to reduce recidivism rates, improving the safety of neighborhoods and extending a second chance to troubled youth." Agencies that can fulfill the promise: Department of Youth and Rehabilitative Services(DYRS) has a plan on how to downsize Oak Hill and create smaller secure settings (secure centers) with rehabilitation services around the District. These efforts need to be coordinated with Department of Mental Health (DMH) and the Addictions Prevention and Rehabilitation Administration (APRA) to ensure that the secure centers act as one-stop centers providing the young person with supervision and treatment simultaneously. The Procurement Office needs to facilitate a streamlined process where by each secured center can access funds from each of the responsible departments. The ANC and the Zoning Commission will need to help locate the centers. This policy strategy, and funding for it, will need to be coordinate with the Juvenile Advisory Group (JAG). Initial Actions: The plan for location of the secure center needs to developed and then marketed to those communities by the Mayor and the City Council. Who can make the change?: Council legislation or Mayoral order. How long it will it take to make the change?: The initial actions could be done within the first months of the Fenty administration with the full implementation of the plan taking 2 to 4 years. What are the impediments to fulfilling the commitment?: The public is more nervous about criminal justice policy than a year ago, and "Not In My Back Yard" (NIMBY) may be a problem around siting facilities. Are there any special circumstances that we need to be aware of? Public education will be needed to easy NIMBYism, and concern over crime. Developing clear objective risk assessment tools to address the appropriate places for juvenile supervision—meeting diverse system needs around supervision, and public safety. Encourage the courts to make better use of alternatives that already exist, i.e. Evening Reporting Centers. There is a need to fund, and develop a comprehensive aftercare strategy for young people leaving facilities and group homes, and make sure that they are ready to return to school, a job, and reintegrate to their families and communities. 2. Statement of Need: Prevention, Intervention and Treatment. "But closing Oak Hill is only the start to addressing youth violence. In that regard, a Fenty Administration will implement a general three-step plan for youth and young offenders: Prevention, Treatment and Intervention. Prevention. Increasing vocational training in schools to provide marketable job skills for our youth coupled with after school programs and other recreational activities will give our youth positive options besides crime. Treatment. Many crimes committed by youth are the result of mental illness, or alcohol and drug abuse. By working with teachers, mental health specialists along with community and business leaders, our youth can receive treatment for negative actions that result from these afflictions. In addition, we will offer rehabilitative services for first time and minor offenders. Intervention. Youth will also benefit by participating in programs that address gang prevention and leadership development. Coupled with those initiatives, jobs programs and youth court exposure will also help address youth violence and crime." Agencies that can fulfill the promise and what is needed from them? . Prevention: DC Children and Youth Investment Corporation (CYITC); District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS); Child and Family Services Administration (CFSA) and Department of Employment Services; Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). Intervention: Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and Office of the Attorney General (OAG), numerous community partners. Treatment: Addictions, Prevention Rehabilitation Administration (APRA); DMH; DYRS; What are the impediments to fulfilling the commitment?: Major impediment: Need for Agency Collaboration Plan from the Mayor: There is concern that there is no lead agency to deal with the problem of youth violence and insufficient funding to deal with the breath of the problem. The Mayor should commission a plan that would: designate each agency’s role individually and in collaboration with other agencies; coordinated the Request for Proposal process among agencies to streamline the application process for contractors providing services; articulate the role of not-for-profits in providing services: and provide budget estimates for funding the plan. Moreover, the plan should analyze and include relevant recommendations from the youth development and youth violence prevention plans developed during the Williams administration. Other collaboration issues include: APRA needs to provide in-house drug treatment centers for young people. DMH needs to work closely with Mental Health Core Service Agencies that serve youth to facilitate the provision of services to at-risk youth. DMH, APRA and DYRS need to work together ensure that youth diagnosed with mental health or drug abuse programs receive assistance. Other impediments Too few dollars exist for out-of-school time activities for all youth. Too few "beds" or noncustodial options exist for youth involved in the D.C. Children’s and Family Services Administration. Too little collaboration between non-profits, and agencies that work on prevention, and too little connection between successful prevention and intervention programs. DYRS allocates resources for youth who are engaged in the juvenile justice system. Prevention and diversion resources to insure that youth engaged in unlawful behavior, but are not part of the system, do not exist Currently, few, if any city appropriated dollars exist for job training services and supports for youth and young adults. Many of the prevention and intervention programs in this city have not been evaluated for their effectiveness in some cases, we have no idea if what we are doing is effective helping reduce recidivism. Successfully placing programs where the need is the greatest. There are concerns that too many after school programs are situated in the central city, when the greatest need is in South East and North East Washington Who can make the change? Need for a Mayor Appointment to Implement and Oversee Plan: There needs to be a Mayoral designee to "ride herd" on an overall prevention and intervention strategy. The appointee needs to be a person closer to the mayor (Deputy Mayor or Chief Administrator) to take charge and make the various departments overseeing young people work together effectively. How long it will it take to make the change? In his first year the Mayor should allocate supplemental budget funds for juvenile justice, youth violence programs and youth development: develop an agency collaboration plan; and appoint a top person in the administration to oversee the implementation of the plan. Are there any special circumstances that we need to be aware of? Many of the prevention and intervention programs in this city have not been evaluated for their effectiveness in some cases, we have no idea if what we are doing is effective helping reduce recidivism. Staffing—Particularly for Evidence-Based Practices. We need more skilled youth workers, therapists and psychologists. Targeting youth of the right age? The lion’s share of the funds spent on prevention are spent on younger children, neglecting middle school and high school aged young people, or "disconnected youth" is a problem. DC law enforcement is very supportive of expanding the city’s investment in intervention and prevention programs—the new mayor needs to take advantage of this situation Focus prevention and intervention on the young people most likely to have "negative life outcomes" – reconnect disconnected youth. In 2004, over 15 percent of DC teens qualified as "disconnected" youth, meaning that they weren’t working or in school. These young people are the mostly likely to have negative life outcomes. If treatment, education, and job training is targeted at this segment of DC residents, it will have a larger public safety impact. Dealing with Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC). There is a need to view juvenile justice policy through the policy lens advanced by the Justice Department around reducing Disproportionate Minority Contact. The San Francisco-based Burns Institute, one of a handful of organizations in the country that has expertise on reducing DMC, is working in more than a dozen sites around the country on this kind of approach. Comments: On evening-reporting centers, Gang Intervention Partnership, agency coordination, and mayoral designee on prevention. Comments: Balance on spending between children, and young adults, and Connecticut intervention model (posted to the blog). Comments: On the need for comprehensive aftercare models and coordination of aftercare activities between DYRS, the courts, and law enforcement. On the need for more manageable caseloads at court social services, need for more dispositional alternatives for judges, and training for police to refer youth somewhere when in non-criminal contact. Comments: On the need to address Disproportionate Minority Contact, recommendation to work with the Burns Institute. (posted to the blog). Comments: Papers submitted on broader agenda on violence prevention (recommend posted to the document library). Comments: On the need for a blue-ribbon task force on juvenile justice, on using the CSOSA model in juvenile justice, and on reviewing the Latin American youth Center’s programs as a city model (posted to the blog). DEVELOP INCARCERATION ALTERNATIVESReentry issues are only one correctional challenge facing our city. It is also important to explore alternatives to incarceration, thus saving us millions of dollars spent to house inmates awaiting trial, while maintaining citizen protection. 1. Crime prevention Which Agency, Board or Entity can fulfill the commitment? Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, Deputy Mayor for Education, OAG, USAO, Superior Court, CSOSA, DC Pretrial Services Agency, and Office of Public Defender, and the Child and Family Services Agency. a.) The best incarceration alternative is preventing crime. Research and experience show that certain targeted investments in programs that give children a good start in life will prevent them from engaging in later crime and violence. Effective investments include quality early education and care, child abuse and neglect prevention, after-school programs, and programs that help troubled kids get back on track. EARLY EDUCATION: High quality pre-kindergarten and educational child care programs prepare children to succeed in school and reduce later crime. CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT: Abused and neglected children are more likely than other kids to become adult criminals. Research shows that parent coaching cuts abuse and neglect. AFTER SCHOOL: The prime time for juvenile crime is between 2:00 and 6:00 pm. High quality after-school programs teach kids skills and values and cut crime. TROUBLED KIDS: Interventions targeting bullies and youths already involved in crime, such as gang members, cut violence and repeat arrests. b.) Consider a policy statement from the Mayor recognizing the overwhelming evidence that a commitment to early education, child abuse and neglect prevention and intervention, quality after school programs, and interventions targeting troubled youth are the most effective means to prevent crime. Recognition of the interconnection between these programs and increased educational opportunities in later life, improvement of quality of life and the reduction of crime is essential to creating and funding successful programs. Early education and after school programs have already been identified as priorities for the Fenty Administration’s plans for revitalizing the school system. These programs should also be considered a priority for public safety and crime prevention. c.) There are numerous resources that advocate and recognize the interconnection between these programs and increased educational opportunities in later life, improvement of quality of life and the reduction of crime. In particular, "Fight Crime: Invest in Kids," has offices in 18 states and its national headquarters here in Washington, DC. This organization has been highly successful in lobbying congress, tracking legislation and funding, and in creating public private partnerships to fund the core programs outlined above. d.) Consider a working group consisting of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, the Deputy Mayor for Education, law enforcement, and the Child and Family Services Agency. This working group would help coordinate the efforts to improve the areas outlined above and make contact with "Fight crime: Invest in Kids" and other relevant organizations to discuss new programs and new funding options in the District. Time frame: Within the first 30 days via general orders. 2. Identify new initiatives, partnerships, and potential sources of funding for Incarceration Alternatives. Which Agency, Board or Entity can fulfill the commitment? OAG, USAO, Superior Court, CSOSA, DC Pretrial Services Agency, and Office of Public Defender. a.) Some areas of concern that have been raised include a shortage of drug programs, mental health evaluation and treatment, and job development and job coaching. Existing drug programs cannot address the needs of some individuals currently supervised by PSA and CSOSA. Some individuals have experience in skilled labor such as masonry, painting or other construction trades but resources are not available to enable them to gain additional experience or earn certification that would allow them to enter the job market. b) Literacy training is also an essential service for some parolees and probationers. More particular concerns involve the lack of Spanish-speaking resources and literacy programs for English as a second language. c.) Consider a working group consisting of representatives of OAG, USAO, Superior Court, CSOSA, DC Pretrial Services Agency, and Office of Public Defender to identify the specific areas of need to adequately promote successful Incarceration Alternatives. In the District, churches and other neighborhood organizations have the existing physical facilities and the potential to provide important services. The working group should identify and create partnerships between these organizations and funding streams to maximize the number of individuals reached. Community-based programs have proven to be highly effective for drug treatment, job training, and literacy training. Federal funding is available for all of these services. This working group should fully integrate this identification and monitoring with the CapStat program. d.) Teen Challenge and Victory Outreach are two faith-based national organizations that are dedicated to drug treatment and rehabilitation. These organizations have significant presence and facilities in other cities. Expansion of these organizations or related organizations to the District should be explored. e.) Consider exploring other options such as updated inmate monitoring systems, the use of secure alternative housing, and third party custodians for inmates awaiting trial. These options would ease jail overcrowding and help commit needed resources to "at-risk" offenders. f.) Consider setting up an Alumni program. Other jurisdictions have had great success with having "graduates" of drug programs and job training programs act as mentors to new participants. g.) Consider designating a full time Public Safety Grant assistant to find and apply for grant money for the Mayor’s public safety initiatives. This assistant could be in the Deputy for Public Safety’s Office or in the Office of Attorney General. Time frame: Within the first 30 days via general orders. 3. Identify the incarceration alternatives currently in place. Which Agency, Board or Entity can fulfill the commitment? OAG, USAO, Superior Court, CSOSA, DC Pretrial Services Agency, and Office of Public Defender. a. The District currently has several programs in place that provide incarceration alternatives for criminal offenders. The D.C./Traffic Community Court, The East of the River Community Court (ERCC), and Superior Court Drug Intervention Program (Drug Court) are of particular significance since generally their stated goal is to quickly resolve cases and address special issues such as drug use, prostitution and other quality of life offenses. These special Courts typically provide incarceration alternatives such as counseling and drug treatment. In addition the DC Pretrial Services Agency is responsible for initially evaluating individuals arrested in the District of Columbia. PSA performs two important tasks for the Courts. (1) PSA gathers and presents information about newly arrested defendants and recommends release options to the Courts. Based on the information and recommendations of PSA the Courts can decide what, if any, conditions are to be set for released defendants. (2) PSA supervises defendants released from custody pending further prosecutorial action by monitoring their compliance with any release conditions set by the Court and helping to ensure that they appear for scheduled court appearances. PSA supervision attempts to address specific issues in an effort to decrease the likelihood of future criminal behavior. Conditions of release often include drug treatment and periodic drug testing. Other conditions may include mental health evaluations and referral to social services when needed or requested. CSOSA provides supervision for offenders returning from prison and for defendants placed on probation by the Courts. CSOSA also gathers information and evaluates defendants who have been placed on probation or released on parole. Probationers and parolees often have specific conditions placed on their release. CSOSA's core approach is a Community Supervision program. This community approach aims to ensure strict accountability and compliance with conditions of release. Elements of this program include: Effective and Efficient Facilitation of Referral & Treatment Risk Assessment and Case Management Appropriate Treatment and Wrap-Around Service Programs Partnerships with Criminal Justice and Social Service Agencies Outreach and Involvement in the Community b) Consider a working group with representatives from the Attorney General’s Office, the US Attorney’s office, the Public Defender’s Office, Superior Court, PSA, and CSOSA to fully coordinate the resources available and utilized by each agency and identify successful programs, programs that need to be expanded and the need for additional resources. This working group should fully integrate this identification and monitoring with the CapStat program. c) Consider having the working group identify the potential impact that other public safety policies may have on the Courts, PSA and CSOSA. For example, if there is a zero tolerance policy for "quality of life" crimes then the number of cases in the courts and the number of individuals supervised by CSOSA could increase. A policy change that may impact an agency should be clearly communicated to that agency. Timeframe: Within the first 30 days via general orders. Any significant increase on the current budget of any agency may be an impediment to action. There is potential for significant federal funding in each of the areas mentioned. Further, costs may be muted by expanding community-based programs that may leverage additional federal and private funds. Clear communication between the relevant agencies is essential for the identification of successful intervention programs and the creation of new tools. Coordinated oversight by the Mayor’s office will ensure communication between the agencies, identification of funding issues, and measurement of progress. REENTRY PROGRAMS FOR ADULT OFFENDERSEach year, more than 2,000 men and women leave federal prisons to return to the District. Hundreds more serve sentences in the District’s jail. The District of Columbia must treat community supervision of these individuals as both a public safety and a community service commitment. 1. Undertake a Needs and services assessment Which agency, Board, entity can fulfill this commitment? Deputy Mayor of Public Safety, Department of Corrections, Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families and Elders, Ex-offender Affairs Office A needs assessment should be made of the different ex-offender populations and the services currently available, particularly those targeted towards reentering ex-offenders, and analyze what services and programs are successful. There are different subsets of ex-offenders, some of which have different needs and some of which may require a different way of delivering services. Current programs and services being offered throughout the District (not limited to Executive Branch programs) that are geared toward ex-offenders and reentry include some which are successful. But some programs are inefficient, unsuccessful, need improvement. Identify which subpopulation(s) are being served by the different programs. For example, there may be a very successful drug program for ex-offenders but it may be only available to English-speaking men who are returning from federal custody and are not dual-diagnosis; thus, drug treatment might be an unmet need for non-English speakers, women, sentenced misdemeanants, ex-offenders with mental health and substance abuse issues ("dual diagnosis"), etc. Time frame: Within first 60 days. 2. review Pre-release planning a. Assess DOC’s pre-release planning and implementation. Consider feasibility of a needs assessment of each sentenced misdemeanant upon admission without regard to length of sentence to be served. (In other words, no sentence should be considered "too short" for needs assessment and some pre-release planning.) Particularly because some sentences are short, planning for release should begin immediately. For felons, BOP does the pre-release planning. Consider coordinating with BOP and CSOSA about prioritizing the gaps in the District’s programs that hinder pre-release planning for felons. Who: DOC for misdemeanants. Deputy Mayor Public Safety, Deputy Mayor Children, Youth, etc., Ex-offender Affairs Office. Time frame: Within first 60 days. b. Halfway House, bed space -- Assess what District policies increase the number of pre-trial halfway house cases. Criminal defendants ordered detained at a halfway house pending trial and sentenced misdemeanants "compete" for the same halfway house beds. When a judge orders that a criminal defendant be detained at a halfway house pending trial, this court order must be complied with and trumps any plan of DOC’s to use halfway house beds as part of a reentry strategy. If all of the beds for which DOC has contracted get used by defendants awaiting trial (and especially if there is a waiting list for pre-trial halfway house beds), then DOC has no opportunity to have sentenced misdemeanants in the community during the day (e.g., finding jobs, securing housing, enrolling in drug treatment programs) but with the structure and supervision that a halfway house provides. Because, as explained above, sentenced misdemeanants do not get parole terms, halfway house placement is really the only option available to DOC to have "community supervision" of sentenced misdemeanants. In the long-run, halfway house bed-space should likely increase but, even putting aside the fact that halfway house size and location is a politically sensitive issue, it takes some time to build or establish more halfway houses (or beds). Thus, a short-term solution, maximizing currently available beds, should be explored. There has been a subgroup of the CJCC focusing on reducing the wait list of court-order pretrial defendants; because that group includes the various institutions/ agencies (Court, USAO, PSA, PDS) that affect pre-trial detention, they would be a good source of information on what the Administration could do to decrease pretrial halfway house detention, thereby increasing bed space for sentenced misdemeanants. Who: Deputy Mayor Public Safety, DOC, CJCC, OUSA, Superior Court, PDS Time frame: Within first 60 days, for the assessment of what Executive Branch policies and practices contribute to increasing pretrial halfway house detainees. c. Halfway House, language -- Examine staffing at halfway house to make sure that there is a way to communicate with Spanish-speaking inmates. There has reportedly been a problem that Spanish-speaking pretrial criminal defendants who are ordered into halfway houses are not allowed to leave the premises (to report to jobs, etc.) because there is no Spanish-speaking staffer who can communicate the rules to them. Examine whether sentenced misdemeanants are not able to transition back to the community with a halfway house placement because there no staff member can communicate with them. This is a DOC staffing issue. If DOC has Spanish-speaking staff, consider reassigning them to address this problem. If DOC does not, then consider making hiring staff with Spanish language-capabilities a priority. Who: DOC Time frame: Within first 60 days. d. Drug treatment. Make sure that there is adequate after care treatment (not just detour). For sentenced misdemeanants, the District has control over (and responsibility for) all drug treatment – making sure that there is detox and initial treatment at the jail, making sure that after care is available upon completion of sentence and release from jail. For felon ex-offenders, the transition team/ Administration would need to work with CSOSA to see what services they provide. Also assess what treatment is available at BOP facilities, being mindful that the contract facilities might provide very different programs than the facilities directly run by BOP. Examine what gaps there are that the District needs to fill, particularly for folks who are ending their parole/ SR. Who: Deputy Mayor Public Safety, DOC, DOH (APRA) Time frame: Within first 60 days for assessment. Filling gaps and increasing treatment beds will require more time but is entirely Executive Branch control. e. Mental health treatment. An assessment similar to the drug treatment assessment should be undertaken. This is an issue, like drug treatment, where reentry intersects with alternatives to incarceration. The populations with these needs could be reduced if their needs (drug or mental health treatment) were met – they could be diverted out of the system and not be counted in the reentering ex-offender population. The OPTIONS programs developed for to divert this population out of the criminal justice system has been limited in scope largely due to a shortage of available housing. Examine how increasing housing for this population could supplement or improve diversion programs. Who: DMH, DOH. Time frame: Within first 60 days for assessment. Filling gaps in treatment and contracting for more housing will require more time but is entirely Executive Branch control. 3. Assess Education and Vocational Programs Programming for sentenced misdemeanants at jail – Assess what educational and vocational programs are available. Special education services have been an issue. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that special education eligible youth receive services until they are 21 years old. Thus, even leaving aside the "Title 16 youth" (youth who are under 18 years old but who are charged in the adult system, held at the jail pre-trial on very serious charges), there could be sentenced misdemeanants between the ages of 18 and 21 for whom the District is legally obligated to provide special education services. The lack of these services has been the subject of recent litigation, currently in mediation reportedly. The transition team/ Administration could start its assessment by ensuring DOC and DCPS work together on this issue to provide the required services. In addition, what are other services that are being or could be provided for (relatively) short-term inmates. Are there any job readiness programs? Job training (literal skills like mechanics or barbering are probably unrealistic given the short timeframes) is probably not possible given the short sentences that misdemeanants serve. However, job readiness could be done at the jail, even on a short misdemeanor sentence – how to search for a job, how to fill out a job form or create a resume, how to respond to questions about arrests and convictions (what information must an applicant disclose by law and what are employers hiring in the District not allowed to ask), etc. Time frame: Within 60 days. Again, this is entirely within the control of the Mayor/ Executive Branch. No cooperation with the court or with a federal entity is required. 4. Improve Employment Opportunities a. Certificates of rehabilitation. Consider establishing an agency/ office that issues certificates of rehabilitation, certifying that individual ex-offenders have taken particular steps to rehabilitate themselves. Propose legislation to establish the certificates and then to prohibit discrimination (in employment, housing, education) against persons who have certificates. New York issues certificates of rehabilitation through their court system but there is no reason that such a program could not be done by the Executive Branch. Who: Deputy Mayor Public Safety; Deputy Mayor Children, Youth, etc.; DOES; DC Council Time frame: Longer-term. Would need to work with Council on the legislation. And then would need to establish the program and the office to staff it. b. Expungement. There is legislation currently pending in the D.C. Council to expand the ability of people to get into court to apply to have their criminal records (arrest, non-convictions (dismissals, not guilty findings, etc.) and convictions) expunged. If this legislation does not pass (for example, because the Council session ends before the bill is fully voted out) or if the legislation that does pass is inadequate in the Administration’s view, consider reviving or proposing new legislation in the next session. Who: Mayor policy aides and DC Council. OUSA, OAG, PDS. Chamber of Commerce representative? Time frame: Within first 90 days to propose legislation; could build on the work of the Council for Court Excellence (with significant input from OUSA, OAG, PDS and Superior Court) that proposed the legislation currently before the Council. c. Research whether the District sells criminal records. A recent article in the NYTimes (during the week of October 16th) explained the problem of companies buying criminal records and employers skirting expungement laws and laws restricting what an applicant can be asked by checking records through these private companies. Consider legislation prohibiting sale of the District criminal records. Consider policy prohibiting sharing data (data dumps or downloads, not individual requests for information by law enforcement agencies) with jurisdictions that sell records. Who: Deputy Mayor Public Safety, policy aides (for drafting legislation), DC Council. Time frame: Within first 90 days to research DC law and draft correcting legislation as necessary. 5. Improve Support for Family and Community Support a. Consider supporting family connections for inmates serving felony sentences (in the custody of BOP). Family/ community support can be a key to reentry success. For example, the family might be the source of housing for the ex-offender or a family member might have a business that could employ the ex-offender. But the length of sentences felons serve and the distance of the facilities in which the sentences are served make the maintenance of family connections extremely difficult. Consider establishing and supporting already existing programs to maintain family relationships, such as videoconference calls, bus trips to the closer federal facilities. Focus in particular on helping children maintain contact with their incarcerated parents, including contact with incarcerated fathers, even though the father has usually not been the recent custodial parent. Who: Deputy Mayor Children, Youth, Families and Elders. Time frame: 6 months to assess and develop program. b. Summit – Have summit after assessment of what reentry services the District currently provides. Present what DC currently does and get ideas from participants from community, from non-profits, from faith-based groups, from ex-offenders about what they believe is working, what needs are not being addressed, etc. Brainstorm ways to involve faith communities and not-for-profits -- for example, as sponsors or mentors – volunteers to work with ex-offenders to answer questions (how do you fill out a job form), to offer encouragement, etc. Who: Mayor; Deputy Mayor Public Safety; Deputy Mayor Children, Youth, etc., Time frame: Within first 100 days, but after the assessment of needs and currently provided services is completed. The summit participants will supplement the Administration’s analysis/ judgment about which programs are working, which need improvement, which should be "defunded" and for which needs are there no programs. WOMEN AND VIOLENCEThese issues are complex and the frequency with which Domestic Violence and Rape and Sexual Assault occur in the District of Columbia makes it imperative that DC immediately treat all violence against women and girls as a crisis situation. 1. NEED FOR ACCESS TO 24 HOUR SERVICES A pilot effort about to get underway to provide assistance to victims of domestic violence must be evaluated for effectiveness and expanded as quickly as possible to all of the PSAs with the greatest frequency of domestic violence incidents. Currently, during business hours from 8:30AM to 5:00PM, Monday through Friday there are some services which provide an immediate response to domestic violence victims. However, most of the domestic violence emergencies are reported after-hours and on weekends. The MPD is then the sole agency available to meet the needs of domestic violence survivors. A pilot project, sponsored by the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence has received funding from DC’s Office of Victim’s Services and is about to begin its On-Call Pilot Project to by serving only two (2) PSAs (PSA703) and (PSA 607) in the city. OCAPP will make on-call advocates available to patrol officers and detectives for all domestic violence offenses and incidents between intimate partners occurring outside the DC Superior Court=s normal business hours. On call advocates will meet with the victims or speak to them on the telephone and will provide a full range of short-term services to the victims. The OCAPP advocate will then link the victim to a SAFE advocate who will provide case management, resource referrals, and guidance regarding the legal process for obtaining a Protection Order. Although this pilot project will serve to improve the lack of access to services after-hours and on weekends, it is much too limited to actually meet the needs of most domestic violence victims in DC. In fact, it was police officers who requested that access to 24 hour services be made available to these victims in order to assist the MPD in handling these cases. Developing additional pilot projects ought to be a priority in order to meet the overwhelming need for access to 24 hour services for domestic violence victims. 2. INCREASED TRAINING NEEDED FOR POLICE OFFICERS Consideration should be given to increasing the amount of training given to police officers and to having some of this training paid for with local funds in order to meet the specific and acute needs of the District’s residents Currently, the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence provides training at the Academy for all police officers, including the 8 hours of annual mandatory training on handling domestic violence situations, per the MPD’s General Order. However, this training is still too limited in order to sufficiently cover this very difficult and complex area of police work. The training is not paid for with local funds which limits the flexibility for offering any additional training, as it is needed. During the recent crime emergency, all training for police officers was suspended, thus, depriving the police officers of this much-needed ongoing training. 3. INCREASED TRAINING NEEDED FOR JUDGES The judges currently assigned to the Domestic Violence calendar appear to need additional specialized training in the area of domestic violence. Unfortunately, judges prefer to be trained by their peers and not by members of the advocate community. Therefore, working with the Chief Judge of DC Superior Court to ensure that the judges are sufficiently sensitized and knowledgeable about all of the issues involved in domestic violence cases is essential. 4. INCREASED AVAILABILITY OF A JUDGE IN CHAMBERS, AND A JUDGE ON DUTY IN DC SUPERIOR COURT Although the DC Superior Court has a "Judge In Chambers" in order to provide emergency Temporary Restraining Orders and to deal with other emergencies, this office is only open 8:30AM to 5:30PM, Monday through Friday. The "Judge On Duty" is available through the Mayor’s Command Center at (202) 727-1000, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but that judge is only available to handle emergency arrest and search warrants, and cannot handle domestic violence emergencies. As a result, the only way for a victim of domestic violence to get any assistance after hours is to call the MPD, which cannot provide all the assistance necessary for these victims. Therefore, working with the Chief Judge in DC Superior Court to ensure that domestic violence victims have access to the DC Superior Court=s assistance, after hours and on weekends, is essential. STRENGTHENING EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENTThe District must be prepared to respond to a wide range of natural and man-made disasters. It must improve coordination with the federal government and states within our region so that in the event of a disaster, citizens receive a consistent and secure reaction from first responders. 1. Improve coordination with the federal government and states within our region a) Implement strong mutual- and automatic-aid agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with all neighboring counties Implementation of better mutual aid and emergency coordination agreements with the federal government and surrounding jurisdiction is much-needed and can be done primarily through executive action (mayoral order and/or agency action). Increasingly since September 11, 2001, there has been a realization that effective management of large-scale events requires regional participation and coordination – even when such large emergencies are located entirely within a given jurisdiction (because of the interdependencies of the National Capital Region’s jurisdictions). Timeframe: one month b) Participate in local and regional drills with suburban partners to include evaluation and corrective action with "lessons learned" built into the system Timeframe: immediate 2. Have the District Government participate in the Integrated Emergency Management Course The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers local governments a one-week course entitled "Integrated Emergency Management Course" (or IEMC). The purpose of the IEMC is to have all of the agency directors and senior officials (e.g., Mayor, City Administrator, Press Secretary, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Public Works Director, Transportation Director) of a given jurisdiction in the class together (and away from the jurisdiction). The course teaches participants the basics of emergency management and collaborative, multi-agency problem-solving. The city leaders of Oklahoma City had just completed the IEMC program shortly before the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building. They credited the IEMC program with giving them the skills and understanding they needed to handle the response to and aftermath of the Murrah Building bombing as effectively as they did. The IEMC program is offered at no cost. Transportation to Emmitsburg, Maryland (the location of FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute) is provided, as is housing, but on-campus meals are not. D.C.’s participation in this program would signal (to regional partners and the federal government) that D.C. had a new found seriousness about emergency preparedness and management. Ensuring participation by all necessary D.C. personnel would simply require a mayoral directive. Timeframe: within the first two months (depending on FEMA-controlled course scheduling) 3. Change the District’s Emergency Preparedness/Management Messages a) Eliminate discussion of "evacuation" as a viable emergency management option People want to hear emergency preparedness messages and information that gives them confidence that the government has a sound, sensible plan to keep the public safe in an emergency. Unfortunately, the DCEMA and the District Department of Transportation have been touting evacuation of the District as one of the District’s means to protect large populations in a major emergency. Timeframe: immediate b) Focus messaging on Sheltering-in-Place Instead of evacuation, the District should be stressing the concept of "sheltering-in-place" to protect the greatest number of people. Sheltering-in-place can be used for weather-related emergencies as well as chemical-biological attacks and hazardous materials releases. Sheltering-in-place may not be appropriate for every emergency, but for the threats which the District realistically faces, sheltering-in-place makes more sense than evacuation. For this reason, DCEMA should undertake public education programs that teach the District’s residents, businesses, and visitors how to protect themselves in an emergency by sheltering-in-place. Further, D.C.’s web site and printed materials should emphasize how and when to shelter-in-place, and what supplies are needed to do so. Timeframe: immediate (for web sites) and within three months (for printed materials) c) Stress individual preparedness through Family Emergency Plans and Family Emergency Kits In addition to developing messages around the concept of sheltering-in-place, the DCEMA should promote individual and family self-reliance by providing training and support information on the development of family emergency plans. Further, the DCEMA should public checklists for family emergency kits and should distribute pre-assembled kits for low-income families. Timeframe: one month (for training) and six months to one year (for acquisition and distribution of family emergency kits) 4. Improve DCPS’ Schools Preparedness A number of recent school-based incidents (at both the national and District levels) have raised awareness of the need for strong emergency management plans for the D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) system. Moreover, as with many communities, schools can be used to shelter large numbers of people in a disaster. Because the District’s schools represent both vulnerabilities and assets, it is important to ensure that DCPS’ emergency management plans are up-to-date and its personnel are trained in and comfortable with those plans. Review and revision of DCPS emergency planning efforts is needed, as is training that addresses any identified shortfalls. Timeframe: one month (for plans review); one additional month (for plans revision); and two additional months (to deliver training) 5. Improve Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training and Capabilities a) Move CERT to DCEMA Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) were created in California after the Northridge earthquake in recognition of the fact that in a major disaster most victims are rescued by spontaneous rescuers (i.e., bystanders, not trained emergency responders). The federal government adopted the CERT concept and has incorporated it as part of its overall approach to managing emergencies, especially in urban environments. CERTs are organized and trained teams of citizens who volunteer to assist in a major disaster. CERT members receive limited training (in D.C., CERT training is 20 hours) and equipment (hard hat, vest, and "disaster kit) in the hopes that some number of these volunteers will be able to self-mobilize to assist formal rescuers as needed. The D.C. CERT program operates out of the DC Serve office in the Executive Office of the Mayor (see HYPERLINK "http://serve.dc.gov/cncs/cwp/view,a,1197,q,525633.asp" http://serve.dc.gov/cncs/cwp/view,a,1197,q,525633.asp). This is an illogical place from which to run a critical emergency management program. The logical place for the CERT program is within DCEMA. The new Mayor should move the CERT program to DCEMA via Executive Order. Timeframe: one month b) Integrate CERT more fully into emergency plans and exercises A central requirement for the success of programs involving citizen volunteers is that the people who volunteer must feel that their time and efforts are valued. The best way to ensure this happens is to utilize these citizens in actual emergencies and to ensure that they are well-trained. If CERT members know that they will be used if a major disaster strikes the District, they will be more likely to be active and supportive of the program. Once the CERT program is part of DCEMA, it will be more easily integrated into emergency management plans and exercises, and the new DCEMA Director should ensure that such integration occurs. Timeframe: two to three months c) Increase the availability and quality of CERT training One of the recurring criticisms of the D.C. CERT program is that there is training isn’t frequent or substantive enough. Training should occur on a regular basis, and increased outreach and promotion of the CERT concept should be one of the cornerstones of DCEMA’s public education efforts. Additionally, CERT training should be reviewed to determine how it can be improved. Timeframe: two to three months 6. Increase federal Homeland Security funding a) Strengthen relationships with key personnel at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Given its unique role protecting the Nation’s Capital, the DCEMA should take the lead in bolstering relationships between DCEMA personnel and their counterparts and colleagues in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Efforts (such as increased outreach and invitations to participate in joint planning efforts) should be made to improve relationships at DHS’ Office of National Capital Region Coordination and throughout the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This can be accomplished at the agency level and does not require any mayoral input. Timeframe: immediate b) Increase D.C. Government participation in federal and regional preparedness activities One of the best means to strengthen relationships is to train and work with others. DCEMA and D.C.’s first responder agencies should seek out opportunities to collaborate and train with counterparts in local, state, and federal agencies around the region. This can be done at the agency level and does not require any mayoral input. Timeframe: immediate c) Write better grants applications In 2006, D.C. suffered a 40% reduction in federal Homeland Security funding. There are a number of reasons that have been offered to explain that reduction, but the most compelling explanation is that the District failed to make a sufficient case for its funding (and failed to spend or adequately account for prior-year federal Homeland Security funds). Program guidance for the FY 2008 program year grants will shortly be distributed, and FY 2008 grant applications will likely be due in early 2007. There is very little time to improve the District’s submissions, but this will have to be done if increased federal funding is to be obtained. This can be done at the agency level and does not require any mayoral input. Timeframe: immediate (by necessity) PROCURE APPROPRIATE FEDERAL PUBLIC SAFETY REIMBURSEMENTThe Federal government must pay its fair share of the costs of public safety in the District. The City needs to seek reimbursement for regular operational expenses of MPD and other first responders that it incurs solely on behalf of the federal government. In addition, MPD should charge for actual costs and expenses incurred when neighborhoods do not receive regular police protection because attention has to be focused on the federal areas of the City. Seek reimbursement from the Federal government for public safety expenses incurred solely for the benefit of the federal government. This commitment will require legislative action by both the D.C. City Council and Congress. One of the biggest impediments to this commitment will be a reluctance of the Congress and the Executive branch to pay for this. A second impediment will be calculating the exact cost of what the City spends on federal protection and, even more difficult, what is the cost of lost coverage to the neighborhoods when MPD has to cover large-scale events like the IMF protests. In 2005, for example, the City paid over $1.5 million for motorcades alone. Before beginning the lobbying process we will want to be certain of exactly what the federal protection costs are and examples of when the Federal government has reimbursed other jurisdictions for similar costs, e.g., reimbursements made to cities that host the political conventions. We will need to be prepared to rebut arguments that the City is already given money by Congress, that D.C. has the highest per capita number of police of any city in the country, and that the District has already been given a lot of Homeland Security money. OCFO, the Federal Government, Congress, and the Public Safety cluster agencies. The entire DC Government will be potentially impacted by requiring the federal government to recognize the District’s unique position and responsibility as the nation’s capital. This recognition will also require the federal government to bear the expense of the increased public safety costs incurred by the district. TEAM MEMBERS Team leader: Ron M. Linton Sub Leaders: Community Policing Kristopher Baumann Team members: George Banks, Tom Blagburn, Leo Bosner, Robert Bossard, Linda Bowen, Dwight Bowman, Michael Carrington, Clarence Edwards, William Ellis, Juan Espinal, Mai Fernandez, Gail Fisher-Stewart, Harry Gates, Cedric Hendricks, Robert Hendricks, Ted Howard, Rahim Jenkins, Peter Jensen, Richard Jerome, Vincent Jones, Clifford Keenan, Ron Magnus Larry Martin, Tommy Musgrove, Chuck Paris, Steve Rickman, Enrique Rivera-Torres, Luis Rojo, Joyanna Smith, Lisa Swanson. Marcia Thompson, Jeffery Tignor, Ken Tolson, Marika Torok, Rod Wheeler, Peter Willner Lynda Young. |
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