Washington, DC – DC mayor introduces bills to bolster police force

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has introduced two bills aimed at bolstering the city’s police force. The first bill would raise the eligible age for police cadets from 21 to 25. “You would be able to work 20 hours per week with the police department, learning and seeing and observing officers while you’re going to school to get 60 credits, and then you would be able to join the police academy,” Bowser said. Eligible cadets must graduate from a D.C. high school. The city would cover the cadet’s cost of tuition toward an associate’s degree at the University of the District of Columbia. “The new measures she’s proposing to help us with retaining and bringing on additional police officers, going forward, is going to be a tremendous help to us,” said D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier.