| A BILL Councilmember Sharon Ambrose
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Councilmember Sharon Ambrose introduced the following bill which was
referred to the Committee on Economic Development with Comments from the Committee on the
Judiciary.
To amend the District of Columbia Housing Authority Act of 1994 to
change the name and expand the jurisdictional boundaries of the public housing police
force.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as
the "District of Columbia Housing Authority Amendment Act of 1998".
Sec. 2. The District of Columbia Housing Authority Act of 1994, effective March 21,
1995 (D.C. Law 10-243; D.C. Code §5-121 et seq.), is amended as follows:
(a) Section 3 (D.C. Code §5-121) is amended as follows:
(1) Paragraph (8) is amended by deleting the word "Force" and inserting the
word "Department" in its place.
(2) Paragraphs (12) and (13) are repealed.
(3) The existing paragraph (16) is amended by deleting the word "Force" and
inserting the word "Department" in its place.
(b) Section 10a (D.C. Code §5-128.1) is amended as follows:
(1) By deleting the title "District of Columbia Housing Authority Police
Force" and inserting the title "District of Columbia Housing Authority Police
Department" in its place.
(2) By amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
"(a) The Housing Authority is authorized to establish and maintain a regular
police department, to be known as the District of Columbia Housing Authority Police
Department ("DCHAPD"), to provide protection for its residents, employees, and
properties (real and personal). The DCHAPD shall be composed of both uniformed and
plainclothes personnel. The DCHAPD shall be charged with the duty of enforcing laws,
ordinances, rules and regulations of the Housing Authority and the District of Columbia.
Members of the DCHAPD shall have the power to execute any traffic citation or any criminal
process (misdemeanor or felony) issued by any court of the District of Columbia, or any
felony, misdemeanor, or other offense against District of Columbia laws, ordinances,
rules, or regulations. The jurisdiction of the DCHAPD shall be concurrent with that of the
Metropolitan Police Department ("MPD") and coextensive with the territorial
boundaries of the District of Columbia."
(3) Subsection (b) is amended by striking the first sentence of the subsection and
inserting it with the following sentence:
"The members of the DCHAPD shall have concurrent jurisdiction in the performance
of their duties with the duly constituted law enforcement agencies of the District of
Columbia.".
(4) Subsection (c) is amended by deleting the phrase "Except as otherwise provided
in this section, a member of the DCHAPF" and inserting the phrase "A member of
the DCHAPD" in its place.
(5) Subsection (d) is repealed.
(6) Existing subsection (f)(1) is amended by deleting the phrase "in the Housing
Authority Community" and inserting the phrase "in, on, or around properties
owned or managed by the Authority" in its place.
(7) Existing subsections (c), (e), (g), (h), and (i) are amended to delete the term
"DCHAPF" and replace it with the term "DCHAPD" everywhere it appears.
Sec. 3. Fiscal Impact Statement.
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal
impact statement required by section 602(c)(3) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act,
approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code §1-233(c)(3)).
Sec. 4. This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of
veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), approval by the Financial
Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority as provided on section 203(a) of the
District Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Act of 1995, approved
April 17, 1995 (109 Stat. 116; D.C. Code §47-392.3(a)), a 30-day period of Congressional
review as provided in section 602 (c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act,
approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code §1-233(c)(1)), and publication in the
District of Columbia Register. |
