DC Government

Photo by PoPville flickr user Tim Brown

From the Mayor’s Office Friday night:

“Mayor Muriel Bowser and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Peter Newsham announced a policy change that will reduce the number of people taken into custody for “Public Consumption of Marijuana.” Under the new policy, all arrests made for “Public Consumption of Marijuana” must be noncustodial if the arrestee is considered eligible. In the past, a citation (or noncustodial arrest) for “Public Consumption of Marijuana” was an option, but not mandatory procedure. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Lorie Shaull

From a press release:

“Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has launched a Special Victims Unit (SVU) to focus on prosecuting crimes against some of the most vulnerable people in the District: sexual assault victims, young children, elders, people with disabilities, and children at risk for human trafficking. The unit will also provide specialized training to OAG prosecutors on forensic interviewing and forensic science, gathering evidence, litigating cases, and providing victims with the necessary services to prevent additional trauma during a case.

“This unit will help us seek justice for vulnerable victims of abuse and violent crimes and provide them with the special services they need to cope with trauma,” said Attorney General Racine. “We’ve learned from the best practices of other prosecutors around the country that specialized training is necessary to investigate and pursue these cases while being sensitive to victims’ needs. SVU is our latest effort to keep District residents safe and provide our community with dedicated resources to address the needs of both victims and offenders.”

OAG has authority to prosecute all offenses committed by juveniles in the District as well as certain adult misdemeanors. Prior to the unit’s establishment, OAG prosecutors who handle a wide variety of offenses also prosecuted crimes committed against special victims. After careful study of current practices by other nationally respected prosecutors and stakeholders, AG Racine established SVU to address the special circumstances in cases involving sexual assault and other vulnerable victims.

Special Victims Unit

The new SVU is composed of three dedicated prosecutors who report directly to the head of OAG’s Public Safety Division, Deputy Attorney General Mina Malik. The prosecutors will handle crimes involving: (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Tim Brown

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Mayor Bowser introduced legislation that will make it illegal to possess undetectable 3D-printed plastic guns and other “ghost guns” in Washington, DC. The “Ghost Guns Prohibition Emergency Amendment Act of 2018” amends the Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 to prohibit the registration and possession of ghost guns–firearms that, after the removal of all parts other than a receiver, cannot be detected by a metal detector–in the District of Columbia.

“From requiring stronger background checks to raising the purchase age, Americans want common-sense gun reform that makes it more difficult – not easier – for guns to fall into the wrong hands,” said Mayor Bowser. “As technology around the production of undetectable guns advances, our federal government must take action to protect Americans from senseless gun violence.” (more…)