The D.C. Council passed an emergency measure that gives more judges leeway in an effort to combat the state’s rising crime.
On Tuesday, the council voted for the emergency public safety bill that would increase penalties for various offenses such as firing a gun in public, strangulation, and carjacking.
“You can get away with murder in this city,” said Council of the District of Columbia Chair Phil Mendelson ahead of the vote.
Mendelson’s comments were a stark contrast from earlier this year, when he downplayed the high crime rate and said that its “perception” was overshadowing the reality outside.
“I know this belies the common belief – and when it comes to crime, how people feel is important – but there is not a crime crisis in Washington, D.C.,” the councilman said back in March.
The emergency public safety bill includes elements of a controversial crime bill that Congress overturned this year. The earlier version was criticized for being excessively lenient with some crimes. This approved bill makes it simpler for judges to detain suspects of violent crimes while they await trial.
Similarly, President Joe Biden recently signed into law a Republican-led resolution to roll back an overhaul of D.C.’s criminal code. This would lower prison sentences for a litany of offenses, including gun crimes.
“I support DC Statehood. and self-government, but I am not in favor of some of the changes introduced by the Washington Council. Despite the mayor’s objections, such as reducing penalties for vehicle theft,” Biden tweeted at the time, announcing his intention not to veto the bill.
Mayor Muriel Bowser, however, was opposed to the bill, arguing that the local government is self-sufficient enough to handle crimes.
“I don’t think Congress should interfere in our local government. They can because we live under the humiliation of limited self-government,” Bowser tweeted. “What we all need to be ready to do next is get to work on getting it right.”
This comes as crime in the state has skyrocketed, as numbers show a staggering increase in crime between 2022 and 2023. According to D.C. Police data, homicides ramped up by 17 percent, sex abuse was up 35 percent, and robberies jumped by more than 50 percent.
