Will the Secure DC Bill Make the District Safe?

Story by Maestro Joyner. Photo by Anadolu Agency via Getty Images.

On October 23, 2023, Public Safety Committee Chair Councilmember, Brook Pinto, introduced the Secure DC Omnibus bill, which promises to make DC a better and safer place. The bill states it will ensure accountability for offenders, give more protection to sexual and domestic violence victims, have enhanced protections for senior citizens, and improve protections for children. However, the bill also states that the Chief of Police can declare any public area a “Drug-Free Zone” for 5 days and can decree that people above the age of 16 be unable to wear face covering in public—but only under certain circumstances. Those are as follows: they can’t wear a mask to hide their identity while committing a crime or engaging in conduct prohibited by civil law; they can’t wear a mask if their intent is to deprive any person or class of people equal protection under the law; and they can’t wear a mask to threaten, intimidate, abuse, or harass someone else.

However, the question on DC residents' minds is, “Will this Secure DC bill make the District safer?” The main concern about this bill is that it targets Wards 7 and 8, whose population is mostly African American. These Wards also have the highest crime rates. This could lead to more incarceration of African Americans because they could have looked suspicious while in a drug-free zone, for example.

Moveover, people could falsely report others as they see fit when wearing face coverings, even if the person wearing the mask is not a current threat. This could lead to incarceration on the basis of a false report—an event that could cause black people to end up in jail. Or, corrupt police officers could make decisions on who is or isn't a suspicious person or group of people if they're wearing a face covering. This is a problem for citizens who have been wronged or misjudged by the system, particularly African Americans in Wards 7 and 8. 

With the bill passing its first reading and heading on to its final read, DC government officials are excited. However, African American residents are still fearful of the bill. Will Secure DC really improve the District by making the crime rate decrease. Or will it just be used to increase the criminalization and imprisonment of black people in Wards 7 and 8?      

Maestro Joyner is a junior at Friendship Collegiate Academy.