5924389 Resolution 21-429, Metropolitan Police Department Officer Retention and Recruitment Incentives Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2016

A RESOLUTION

                                                        

21-429

 

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

March 1, 2016        

 

                                                                                                                                             

To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978 to create incentives for the retention and recruitment of Metropolitan Police Department officers.

 

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Metropolitan Police Department Officer Retention and Recruitment Incentives Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2016”. 

 

Sec. 2. (a) In 1989, the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) began a massive hiring effort that culminated in approximately 1,500 officers being hired in fewer than 2 years.

(b) Since MPD officers hired at that time are eligible for retirement once they have served 25 years and reached 50 years of age, the District now has a large number of officers eligible for retirement.

(c) By the end of 2015, more than 1/3 of MPD lieutenants and detectives, and almost 1/3 of sergeants, were eligible to retire. More than 60% of the MPD command staff, comprising the Assistant Chiefs, Commanders, and Inspectors, were also eligible to retire.

(d) The number of Metropolitan Police Department officers has not increased to keep pace with the increasing population.

(e) By lowering the number of years of active military service or other law enforcement service required to be eligible for appointment, MPD will be able to increase the number of eligible recruits while maintaining the current qualification and eligibility standards.

(f) Additionally, enactment of this legislation will allow MPD to immediately launch a recruitment effort for experienced officers to participate in a new 11-week training program at the Police Academy. This new lateral hiring program is expected to hire and deploy an additional 50 officers this year.

(g) By offering Fair Labor Standards Act-exempt time off for work performed in excess of an 80-hour biweekly pay period to experienced police officers in command staff positions, as well as their civilian equivalents, the Chief of Police will be able to ensure the wellness of her most-experienced officers.

 

 

 

Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Metropolitan Police Department Officer Retention and Recruitment Incentives Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 be adopted after a single reading.

 

Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.