The executive government in Washington, D.C., led by Mayor Muriel Bowser, asked on Friday for $500 million for public safety in its fiscal year 2027 budget proposal.
Among the budget’s items to strengthen public safety in the federal district are $46 million to improve youth rehabilitation facilities and $75 million to build a new jail backed by a public-private partnership.
The District of Columbia has heavily prioritized support for its law enforcement officers to keep crime levels low and to keep youth off the streets.
The city has implemented nightly curfews for minors, who are often seen causing trouble in certain neighborhoods, such as Navy Yard. The emergency curfew measures are set to expire on April 15 after the D.C. Council delayed a vote on their extension. Bowser strongly disapproved of the move.
The proposal also dedicated an unspecified amount of funding to support the Metropolitan Police Department’s hiring process, according to one of the Democratic mayor’s social media posts.
The Washington Examiner contacted the mayor’s office for comment on whether there’s a specific figure attached to that budget item.
Bowser’s office committed most of the public safety budget’s money, $350 million over the next six years, to upgrade fire trucks and ambulances across the city.
An additional $27 million would be allocated toward the construction of a new fire station as part of the RFK Stadium campus redevelopment plan in Northeast D.C. The new Washington Commanders stadium is expected to open by fall 2030.
Bowser is leaving office in January 2027 after forgoing her run for a fourth term as mayor. Since 2015, she has committed to making key investments for the future of the nation’s capital. Friday’s announcement was no different.
The city’s budget proposal also addressed local needs in education and childcare, core city services, healthcare programs, and economic development.
Half of the next fiscal year’s general funding would go toward public education and human support services. Public safety received a 13% share of the allocated funds in the operating budget, representing a 3.3% decrease from fiscal year 2026.
Meanwhile, the separate six-year capital budget, totaling $11.2 billion, is 4.6% higher than the current fiscal year. In that budget, public safety gets 7% of the money.
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The district faces a $1.1 billion deficit in the budget proposal due to fewer resources and rising costs. The proposal now heads to the D.C. Council for final approval, one week after the standard budget deadline.
The full fiscal year 2027 budget books will be released on April 14.