April 12, 2024
Dear Washingtonians,
With my Fiscal Year 2025 budget, we are once again making big investments in public safety. The budget includes $4.6 million to fund immediate provisions of Secure DC, and it fully funds the Metropolitan Police Department's (MPD) requested hiring level to achieve a net gain in police officers for the first time in five years. The public safety budget also includes:
- $8.7 million to fund 40 new Community Safety Officers; hiring these Community Safety Officers and other civilians will help free up about 50 police officers for critical crime-fighting tasks.
- $13 million to increase MPD’s capabilities by nearly tripling the department’s CCTV camera footprint and replacing license plate readers. Those readers are a powerful tool for identifying vehicles involved in crimes, tracking down stolen vehicles, and locating suspects.
- $157 million to purchase new ambulances, ladder trucks, a new fire boat, and other critical lifesaving apparatus.
- $4.8 million to fund the procurement of critical life-saving equipment for fire and emergency medical response personnel.
- $841,000 to continue the development of the District's paramedic school, which will train up to 70 local paramedics per year.
Earlier this week, we opened the new Real-Time Crime Center and called on the community to support the center through the new CameraConnect DC program. Through CameraConnect DC, residents with doorbell or CCTV cameras can register their cameras with MPD. Once registered, if a crime occurs near that camera, the Real-Time Crime Center will send an alert requesting any relevant footage that could help MPD’s investigators. Businesses, apartment complexes, and commercial facilities have the option to fully integrate their footage with the Real-Time Crime Center, providing MPD instant access to camera footage should a threat or incident occur nearby. If you have a security camera and want to help build a safer DC, go to mpdc.dc.gov/cameraconnectdc to learn more.
A few days after we launched CameraConnect DC, we launched another program that invites the community to be part of building a safer, stronger DC: the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Incentive Program. The AED Incentive Program will expand the availability of AEDs across DC and help increase survival rates for people who go into cardiac arrest in the community. The program supports the purchase of AEDs by offering a rebate of up to $400 for each device purchased and installed. The program is open to small businesses, places of worship, condos, co-ops, and non-profit organizations. While available for all parts of the city, the program aims to close disparities in survival rates in areas with low AED accessibility. For more information and to apply for a rebate, go HERE or email AEDIncentive@dc.gov.
Sincerely,
 View photos from this week on Facebook.
 On Sunday, April 14, join Mayor Bowser and community members to celebrate DC Emancipation Day. DC Emancipation Day honors the day President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862, which freed over 3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia.
The free festivities on Sunday will begin with the parade, followed by the DC Emancipation Day Concert on Freedom Plaza – featuring DC’s own Ginuwine, Kelly Price, Ricky Dillard & New Generation, EU featuring Sugar Bear, along with Go-Go fusion band Black Alley, Marcus Johnson, and other local and national artists. There will be live radio broadcasts throughout the day, along with interactive activations and food trucks.
For a full lineup of performances and more, visit dcemancipationday.com.
In this year’s parade, a contingency of 51 youth volunteers will be symbolically representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia, in support of DC Statehood. Those interested in participating as a part of this contingency should RSVP here.
DC Emancipation Day Parade @ 2:00 p.m.
- Starting location: Pennsylvania Ave NW Between 10th and 14th Streets NW
- Ending location: Freedom Plaza
DC Emancipation Day Concert @ 3:00 p.m.
Fireworks Display @ 8:30 p.m.
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 With DC Public Schools (DCPS) students now on Spring Break, Mayor Bowser is encouraging families to take advantage of programming through the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and DC Public Libraries (DCPL) that keep children and teens safe and engaged while they are out of school.
DPR is specifically inviting teens to take advantage of Teen Break Time programming, which caters to teenagers and provides safe spaces to gather, socialize, and play.
Get the full list of DPR’s Teen Break Time activities on the Teen Break Time website.
For a full list of DCPL’s events, visit their website.
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 Residents are invited to Day of Play at RFK presented by Giant Food during Spring Break.
Events DC is hosting this free, field-based event to gather adults and youth in DC for a day of fun, family-friendly competition, featuring music, food trucks, and activities for all ages. Assemble your squad of friends, teammates, or family —create your team of adults, youth, or both — and come play! Teams can be co-ed. Registration is required, but the event is free. All youth must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18.
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When: Tuesday, April 16 | 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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Where: The Fields at RFK Campus (401 Oklahoma Avenue NE)
- RSVP: playrfk.splashthat.com.
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 The Sakura Matsuri – Japanese Street Festival is the largest celebration of Japanese culture in the United States. The festival features over 24 hours of Japanese cultural performances on four stages (including J-Pop, traditional Japanese music, and martial arts) and a diverse range of cultural exhibitors, artisan and commercial vendors of traditional and contemporary Japanese goods, and Japanese and other food and beverages. The festival also spotlights travel and tourism opportunities and innovative Japanese technologies.
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When:
- Saturday, April 13 | 10:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- Sunday, April 14 | 10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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Where: Pennsylvania Avenue NW (between 3rd and 7th Streets)
- Learn more and get tickets HERE
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