The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice is responsible for improving the safety of our communities across all eight wards.  We believe that one of the most persistent and pressing responsibilities of government is to use every resource at our disposal to ensure that all our residents, visitors, and guests both are safe—and feel safe.   

To do that, we employ a coordinated government response to enhancing public safety using both traditional law enforcement tools and public health tools. On the law enforcement side, we recognize the need to ensure that we have a well-resourced, well-staffed police force and have thus made substantial investments in recruiting and retention incentives, educational and training opportunities, and technology to assist us in deploying our law enforcement resources in an efficient manner.   

On the public health side, we recognize that it is critical to address many of the root causes and systemic inequities that lead to crime and have worked across cluster to invest in a wide range of social and wraparound services, programs, and interventions aimed at strengthening, empowering and engaging residents in our communities to keep them safe and healthy before they engage in risky behavior.   

This chart illustrates the parts of our public safety and justice ecosystem.  

 

 

PREVENTION

The prevention arm of our ecosystem includes services and supports for both perpetrators and victims aimed at preventing crime.  

INTERVENTION/ENFORCEMENT
The intervention and enforcement arm of our ecosystem is aimed at deterring criminal activity utilizing both law enforcement and non-law enforcement interventions. MPD is the primary vehicle for our law-enforcement-based intervention/enforcement strategies.  

ACCOUNTABILITY
The accountability arm of our ecosystem refers to the part of the system responsible for imposing consequences on those who violate the law, such as prosecutors, courts, and criminal supervision. Holding people appropriately accountable for their behavior is critical to future deterrence.  

REHABILITATION
The rehabilitation arm of our ecosystem encompasses our strategies employed to restore the individual that has committed harm, and the community that has been harmed, so that they no longer find themselves in a perpetual cycle of criminal activity. This category includes providing reentry services to returning citizens.