The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) protects Washington, D.C.'s people. The last few years have been a highly tumultuous time for them, leading to several department-wide changes in how they interact with the public.

D.C. Councilman Charles Allen and Monica Hopkins, Executive Director of the D.C. chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), introduced sweeping police department reforms with the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2020. This law expressly prohibited neck restraints (commonly referred to as chokeholds), required the release of body-worn camera (BWC) footage within 72 hours of any police-related death or serious use of force, and directed officers to be uniformed and identifiable during protests and assemblies protected by the First Amendment.

The law was passed unanimously in June 2020, along with additional provisions banning the use of tear gas and military gear for law enforcement at the Metropolitan Police Department. Many departments across the country have made similar changes after George Floyd's death. The emergency act expired on October 31st, 2020; Bill 23-882, which is intended to make the changes permanent, is still under Council review.

Lawmakers in the District of Columbia continue to seek more transparency from the police. They have requested that officers' disciplinary records become publicly available, though this is a highly controversial topic.

Some say that making disciplinary files public is the kind of reform we need to maximize police accountability and ensure that their actions are kept above board. Others say that releasing these records would not only constitute a breach of privacy but may backfire by increasing the distrust and animosity between officers and members of the public.

The question up for debate: Should the #DisciplinaryRecords of #PoliceOfficers be a matter of public record?