Dear Mr. Speaker and Representatives Scalise, Jeffries, and Clark,
I am writing on behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police to advise you of our support for two bills that the House will consider this week. Both pieces of legislation will enhance public safety and strengthen law enforcement in the District of Columbia. We believe these measures will help restore accountability, deter crime, and ensure safer streets for residents, visitors, workers in our nation’s capital.
The first of these bills, H.R. 5107, the “Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in DC (CLEAN DC) Act,” would repeal the entirety of D.C.’s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. This legislation goes beyond just the restoration of the collective bargaining provisions and would also eliminate restrictive measures that have hampered the ability of the officers serving the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) from doing their jobs and allow them to perform their duties more effectively while maintaining essential protections. This measure is of particular importance to the FOP’s D.C. Police Union, which represents the officers of the MPD. We urge all Members of the House to vote in favor of this bill.
The second bill, H.R. 5214, the “District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act,” which requires pre- and post-conviction detention for crimes of violence and dangerous offenders, and mandates cash bail for certain offenses. These reforms will help prevent dangerous individuals from being released back into the community prematurely, thereby enhancing public safety and reducing recidivism. We need to curb the reckless implementation of cashless bail reforms that have allowed repeat offenders to evade any meaningful consequences for their criminality. We urge the House to support this legislation, which recognizes the importance of deterrence in preventing crime and protecting our neighborhoods by ensuring that those who pose a genuine threat to public safety aren’t back on the street after completing a little paperwork.
The Fraternal Order of Police has long advocated for policies that support our members in their mission to serve and protect—especially the officers that we represent in DC—the MPD, Metro Transit Police Department, U.S. Capitol Police, and the U.S. Park Police. The bills represent common-sense reforms that will address some of the challenges faced by law enforcement in the nation’s capital.
On behalf of the 382,000 members of the FOP, we urge all Members of the House to vote in favor of H.R. 5107 and H.R. 5214. If we can provide any additional information or examples about these pieces of legislation, please do not hesitate to contact me or Executive Director Jim Pasco in our Washington, D.C. office.
Sincerely,
Patrick Yoes
National President