Ward 2 Candidate Questionnaire

Jack Evans: The government needs to ensure that emergency services such as, police, fire, and emergency medical services, are available to residents. Public safety should be the priority of any government.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: Public safety entails addressing the root causes of violence so that every District resident lives in a community where they feel that they have opportunity and security. We need to take a public health approach and focus on the lack of educational and economic opportunities available, and our public safety initiatives should be rooted in the communities that they serve.

Ultimately, the concept of public safety can’t be divorced from the many other critical investments necessary in health, education, mobility, and job training that are critical to breaking the cycle of violence and despondency that plagues too many of our communities.

Brooke Pinto: Public safety is the well-being and protection of all residents from harm. Public safety must include trauma informed care for the whole community. When our society fails our residents and families with meaningful support and then overly punishes behavior that needs restorative solutions, we perpetuate the racial and income inequities so pervasive in our city. We also know that many of our laws are applied more harshly and more frequently to minority communities.

Elected officials have a responsibility to serve the best interest of their entire community. As your Councilmember, I will fight to ensure our criminal justice system is working to make ALL of our residents more safe and will include all voices in the legislative process.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: We need to continue to increase education opportunities, continue to increase job opportunities for graduating students, and support wraparound programs for our youngest residents.

Presence of police officers in public schools should be decided on a case by case basis.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: Too often, we see that students of color and students with disabilities are excessively punished and set up for failure. We must find ways to ensure students are not placed into the juvenile or criminal justice system in the first place.

AG Racine and the Office of the Attorney General have done great work for the District to divert students from the criminal justice system. Some additional opportunities for exploration may include:

● Remove MPD, Child Family Services, and Court Social Services from truancy enforcement and expand DCPS services (e.g., full-time counselors and nurses) to address the needs of students
● Remove law enforcement or criminal justice agencies as part of the classroom or school discipline unless as part of the safety and protection of school community
● Change the DCPS policy allowing students to be withdrawn from school after 20 days of unexcused cumulative absences
● Decriminalize low-level, non-violent school offenses, and replace policies with those favoring restorative justice
● Reimagine zero-tolerance policies to form more conducive learning environments
Whatever our approach, we must focus on mitigating the root causes leading to absenteeism and disciplinary actions so as to help ensure that all individuals have the opportunity to succeed in the District.

Brooke Pinto: Our schools should prioritize violence de-escalation and prevention, not punishment. Many of our public schools have an unnecessary high presence of police officers and metal detectors which can cause psychological damage to children. When we do this, we send the message to our students that they are dangerous and not trustworthy. Schools must be safe physically and psychologically for all students.

As your Councilmember, I will fight for additional funding for mental health and behavioral specialists in schools. We have an opportunity to intervene when children begin to exhibit violent behavior and ensure they have the resources they need to address underlying challenges. Violence perpetrated by children is a symptom of broader issues that should be met with compassion, not incarceration.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: Yes.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: It is really important for police to be especially sensitive in dealing with young people. Whether through the use of force or even just stops and public detainment, there should be a recognition that unduly negative interactions with the police can humiliate and traumatize young people with potential lifelong consequences. That being the case, I would support legislation that sets out requirements on police/juvenile interactions that incorporate some of the best practice suggestions outlined here.

Brooke Pinto: At OAG, we worked with MPD to change its policy so officers will no longer handcuff children under the age of 12, and will use discretion in handcuffing children between the age of 13 and 17. However, there still must be more oversight and restrictions of when handcuffs can be used on youth. As your Councilmember, I will push for legislation that only allows handcuffs to be used in the most extreme situations. When dealing with children, the standard of respect and care must be delicately applied -- when we treat our children with brute force, it can lead to a lifetime of trauma.

There also must be more oversight and more consequences for police officers who fail to activate their body cameras. I will push for legislation that implements even more severe consequences for incidents that involve interactions with children. I also agree that non-police behavioral specialists should be present during interactions with youth. This will help to prevent situations from escalating and ensure that children are not unnecessarily detained. Guardians must be immediately notified when police officers interact with children and whenever possible, should be permitted to pick-up their child.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: Yes. We also need to strengthen the Civilian Complaints Review Board (CCRB).

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: Yes, I support ending the practice of stop and frisk. It’s dehumanizing, deeply embarrassing, and corrodes the trust and relationship between police and the communities they serve.

For police accountability, I would support strengthening the role of the Police Complaints Board over disciplinary cases to give it – and not the Chief – final say over disciplinary cases involving officers. I also think that the Council has a role to play through the Judiciary Committee to conduct regular oversight, particularly in relation to the implementation of the NEAR Act.

Brooke Pinto: Yes, stop and frisk is an abhorrent practice that is frequently applied in a discriminatory manner against people of color. Nearly three-quarters of the police stops conducted between July 22 and December 31 last year were of black residents, even though black people only make up less than 50% of our city’s population. The Council must act to stop this practice. However, ending stop and frisk is not a cure-all solution to ending police brutality. There must be more accountability and oversight of MPD. For example, police officers should not be allowed to review body camera footage before submitting a report. There also must be more repercussions for officers who fail to activate their body cams, and even stricter repercussions when incidents involve children.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: I co-introduced the NEAR Act in 2015 which established the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) and it is currently DC law. The Council should conduct oversight of ONSE to make sure the office is using all of the tools at their disposal to prevent violence. If the office and other provisions of the law are not meeting the full requirements, then the Council may have to strengthen the law.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: I believe we need to build on the Cure the Streets program and the NEAR Act’s violence interrupters. Right now, there is little data about where these violence interrupters are located, the number of interventions achieved, etc. so I would push for a Council-led performance plan to increase transparency around these programs. I do think it’s important that the District work with federal and regional partners, particularly in Virginia, to inhibit the flow of illegal guns into the District. Much of the violence on our streets is fueled by out-of-state gun traffickers putting weapons into the hands of young people who make impulsive, life-changing (and life-ending) decisions without fully grasping or foreseeing the consequences of their actions.

Brooke Pinto: Criminal justice is one area where past policy interventions have been guilty of short-term thinking that has resulted in long-lasting harm to vulnerable residents. While I believe that MPD plays an important role in addressing crime, law enforcement should not be the main or only tool we employ.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: Yes.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: I would support legislation to standardize and codify disclosure requirements, including the release of body-worn camera footage and the requirement for an independent investigation.

Brooke Pinto: Yes, absolutely. Anyone involved in a police stop should be permitted to review police body camera footage. The identity of the officers involved should also be released to the victims, their families, and the review board. While I understand that some have concerns about the safety of officers when their identities are released, we can ensure that officers are not at risk while also providing transparency to our community. I will support legislation that promotes transparency and works towards creating a more trusting relationship between MPD and district residents.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: Yes.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: The concern is legitimate, and I think that the Council has a critical oversight role to perform when it comes to the use of surveillance technologies. The Council should be informed of any surveillance technology procured by the D.C. Government, and it should have the ability to foreclose on the use of such technology if it represents a threat to civil liberties.

Brooke Pinto: Yes, one of the most important roles of the DC Council is to provide oversight to district agencies. As technology advances, we must ensure that our elected officials are knowledgeable about technology and understand the legality behind privacy. As a young candidate and a lawyer, I am well prepared to be a strong advocate for residents’ privacy and protect our neighbors from unethical surveillance.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: Yes. Our current jail is antiquated and unsafe.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: The current conditions at the D.C. Jail are inhumane and unacceptable. For that reason, I support building a new jail. I understand why some advocates are concerned that a new jail would further the cycle of mass incarceration, however our current jail is outmoded and was designed at a time when a punitive rather than a rehabilitative corrections model governed the creation of new facilities. I believe we can build a new facility that prioritizes rehabilitation rather than punishment, while providing safer and more humane conditions than the current jail has. I think that we should look at facilities in countries that are more enlightened on criminal justice and rehabilitation in order to design a new correctional center.

But if we don’t act, we’re just consigning incarcerated residents (most of whom haven’t been convicted of a crime) to a jail that was explicitly designed to keep its occupants miserable.

Brooke Pinto: Yes, absolutely. The current DC jail is in disrepair and is unsafe for those who are detained. COVID-19 has spread like wildfire in the D.C. jail, which has brought to light the deplorable conditions that inmates are forced to endure. I strongly support the creation of a new jail that provides more space to inmates, green area, and hygienic conditions. The Council also must provide more oversight of the D.C. jail to ensure inmates are treated humanely and have access to more resources.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: I believe we currently have the resources to accomplish both of these goals - to decrease incarceration and to rehabilitate our residents.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: It’s an important question, because there is a balance that does need to be achieved. I think we need to spend more resources on building up viable alternatives to incarceration, simply because the balance is so heavily weighted right now toward incarceration. This city (and certainly this country) puts comparatively far too few resources into community-based solutions like restorative justice and diversionary programs as compared to jails and halfway houses. Hopefully the release of inmates during COVID-19 will demonstrate that there are classes of people currently being incarcerated who don’t truly need to be confined to the jail, and that moving forward we can center alternatives more proactively.

For those in jail, however, we should (as I allude to above) make sure that the facility that we have is safe, humane, and is well-programmed for the needs of those who reside in it.

Brooke Pinto: These are two important issues that do not have to be mutually exclusive. The Council must do a better job of providing oversight of the DC jail to ensure inmates are treated humanely and they have access to the resources they need. I am in support of funding for the creation of a new DC jail that has more hygienic and humane living conditions. This project is long overdue and the COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated that this is a crucial investment.

We also need to decrease the amount of arrests made and prevent violence from occurring. Black residents are more frequently pulled over by police officers and arrested than their white counterparts. Many of our laws are unjustly applied to black residents, like our cannabis laws. Change needs to start with analyzing data to understand which laws are resulting in the majority of arrests of black residents. The Council has a responsibility to their constituents to ensure that laws do not target certain races and to provide oversight of MPD to ensure laws are not unjustly applied to minority communities.

We also should invest more in violence prevention programs, such as Cure the Streets. This pilot program has proven to be effective in preventing crime through a public-health approach and should be expanded across the city. It will be a priority of mine to ensure this program is funded in the 2021 budget.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: I support these efforts to make sure that the health and safety of prisoners are being addressed without delay.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: Yes, as I allude to above, where individuals have proven to be rehabilitated or are pre-trial and not a threat to public safety, I support reforms like early release and home confinement. It should not have taken COVID-19 for us to embrace some of these measures.

Brooke Pinto: Yes, this crisis has forced us to look more deeply at pre-existing inequities and reimagine how many parts of our city function. I am confident that the progressive reforms the Council has already adopted will continue after we recover from this crisis.

I believe that whenever possible home confinement should be used as an alternative to incarceration. We know that incarceration causes long-lasting, inter-generational trauma that frequently leads to more crime. Incarcerated individuals are also frequently exposed to drug use and at-risk for being radicalized by organized crime groups. The main goal of our criminal justice system should be to reduce crime and recidivism and the best way to achieve this goal is to allow non-violent offenders to remain with their families and receive educational and job-training services.

Jack Evans: No. The act as currently written would have an adverse affect on the child sex trade and prostitution in general.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: I believe that this bill requires more thought and consultation, but has some core elements that are worth building on. Our current system of penalizing sex workers is not equitable, nor does the status quo benefit anyone, including skeptics. I address the issue of decriminalization as a matter of public health and public safety.

I want to ensure that this matter and its follow-through are considered thoroughly, as “success” in this case could amount to the District washing its hands of a problem that survival sex work represents only a symptom of: the deep, widespread, and enormously debilitating discrimination that exists in society toward members of the transgender community, particularly trans women of color. When we see unemployment rates north of 40% for trans women of color, and life expectancy south of 50, that points to an enormous problem that requires comprehensive solutions.

Harm reduction in the short-run is an entirely legitimate objective, but based on our track record as a country with decriminalization or deregulation initiatives, decriminalization in this context requires follow-through with meaningful effort to address employment discrimination. This needs to be considered in the context of targeting health, job training, and other resources to the trans community; that broader need should not be an excuse for inaction, but a mandate to act more thoroughly on the front-end as this legislation is being considered in order to ensure that it’s not a one-off.

I also believe that stakeholder engagement around this topic has not been undertaken to the degree necessary to secure support and acceptance of this legislation. My passion, as someone running to be a ward councilmember from a background of many years as a community leader on the ANC level, is engaging in very difficult conversations at the grassroots level and achieving solutions from a position of maximum engagement and, to the greatest extent possible, common understanding.

I did that as an ANC chair successfully on enormously divisive issues like a Hospital helipad in Foggy Bottom, where GW Hospital sought to overturn a statute prohibiting construction of one at their campus adjacent to high-density residential buildings. An initial legislative attempt to implement one failed over vocal and widespread community opposition. I took responsibility as the top elected community leader, understanding the wider context, to convene a series of several multi-hour listening sessions with people on all sides of the issue over the course of the year. I negotiated an agreement to try and achieve the greatest possible degree of consensus on the issue between the Hospital and neighborhood interests, and ultimately I led the ANC to support the legislation, which enabled the Council to move forward with a change in law to make the helipad a reality today.

Elected officials have to make difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions at the end of the day about consequential issues. There’s no getting around that no matter how skilled one is at trying to forge common ground. How one handles arriving at their decision can, however, determine whether you implement good policy and whether the public accepts the outcome.
All that is to say, I don’t think that we are there yet with this legislation, and I think that was illustrated by the concern that some advocates of decriminalization had about proceeding with a ballot initiative on this topic. Given that the mayor has signaled her opposition to this legislation, it will take nine votes on Council to pass anything and we are presently not there, or close.

There are very real inequities that need to be addressed in relation to how our society treats sex workers and the welfare of those forced to engage in sex work, but achieving a solution in a political context requires a deliberate and strategic approach much like that which resulted in the successful passage of marriage equality legislation ten years ago.

That process took a degree of tactical patience, guarding for federal interference, and involved the quiet work of building out a base of allies, a process that inherently defied instant gratification and was enormously frustrating to those who felt like their basic rights were being held in abeyance. But the resulting legislation was the payoff: marriage equality became law in D.C. well before it was in most of the rest of the country, and it proved a durable achievement that wasn’t overturned by a ballot referendum or Congress.

I would like to see a similar outcome on this issue, and bringing that about will take more due diligence and the commitment of political leaders, commitment that I aim to be in the position to offer, to have the difficult conversations necessary with Council colleagues and residents to forge progress.

Brooke Pinto: I am open to decriminalizing buying sex, but while at the Office of the Attorney General, many of the groups I spoke with were concerned that the current data does does not conclusively demonstrate that decriminalizing the buying of sex does not lead to an increase in trafficking. My policy decisions are based on data. I believe that at this time the first step is to decriminalize sex work. If more research is done to show that decriminalization of buying sex makes our community safer, I will also be a strong advocate for this additional reform.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: I would work to gain local control over our courts and our criminal prosecutions from the U.S. Attorney’s office. I believe this would go a long way to achieve this goal.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: I think that it’s important that the Council take a comprehensive look at the code in order to identify whether some criminal sanctions merit being treated as civil infractions. Decriminalizing fare evasion was a positive step but there is more we can do. Certain drug possession or other “victimless” crimes represent the most obvious potential changes.

Just as important, we need to take a look at laws that might serve a legitimate purpose, but which are written in problematic ways. One example of this is the Riot statute, which is written very broadly and gives considerable discretion for arbitrary enforcement. We saw the consequences of that in the disposition of cases related to the J20 Inauguration protests. It’s important for policymakers to remember that federal law enforcement agencies often charge under D.C. statutes, and to the extent that our laws are not well-written, these agencies can exercise authority in enforcing them in ways that might not reflect local priorities or practices.

Brooke Pinto: Our criminal justice system is failing our Black and Brown residents and is actively causing intergenerational trauma for these communities. As stated in question 9, the Council has a responsibility to provide more oversight of MPD and analyze data to determine which laws are being racially applied to minority communities. As your Councilmember, I will fight for stronger language around requirements for the use of body cameras. I will also fight for full funding of restorative justice and violence interruption programs. Crime should be addressed through a public-health approach because public safety is a public health issue. I will work closely with civic organizations that have already been organizing effectively to demand more accountability from our criminal justice system. I will continue to listen to those our criminal justice system has failed and will support their work.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: The Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) is the best way to produce affordable housing. HPTF should be dedicated to our returning citizens.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: I was distressed to read about the closure of Hope Village in Ward 8, and am very concerned that there aren’t enough beds available in the District for returning citizens. Nobody should have to stay in prison a day longer than necessary because bed space isn’t available.

Part of the need is to secure space in light of the District’s overall housing crisis, which is driving up the cost of providing all kinds of housing -- but supportive housing most especially. We must put far more resources into preserving existing units of affordable housing, and work with the Office of Returning Citizens to strengthen housing- and job-placement opportunities even as we pursue efforts with the BOP in the near-term to find additional, accredited facilities to serve the functions of halfway houses.

Brooke Pinto: This is an issue I am very concerned about. Our failure to help returning citizens succeed when re-entering into our community leads to more homelessness and crime in the District. It is also morally wrong. Someone who serves their time deserves to be able to move on and have a real opportunity at a second chance.

The first step to addressing the housing needs of returning citizens is to gain local control over our parole board so that we can be more involved in the success of our returning citizens. We also need to provide more affordable housing options. Many returning citizens have difficulty finding work, especially higher-paying jobs that would allow them to afford our city’s skyrocketing housing prices. I will work to ensure housing is affordable for ALL residents and will advocate for additional funding for job training and matching programs for returning citizens.

It is especially important now as the District is releasing more inmates due to COVID-19 that we provide these returning citizens with additional support because the job market is in a catastrophic state. The Council should provide any resident who can demonstrate financial hardship due to COVID-19 immediate cash assistance to ensure they can remain in their apartments. All returning citizens should qualify for this benefit.

I am proud to live in a city that has instituted ‘ban the box’ legislation to prevent returning citizens from being discriminated against by landlords. However, we know this practice still continues and there are many loopholes that allow landlords to find this personal information and use it against prospective tenants. I support increasing spot investigations to ensure our laws are being followed and am open to reforms that would further strengthen ‘ban the box’ laws.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: With a financially strong city, the mayor was able to avoid any cuts to our budget, especially in our social safety net area. I would work to ensure that there would be no cuts to health and human services.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: I believe that we must take a public health approach to crime, and that criminalizing poverty is not the answer. On the Council, I will prioritize investments in social services as we look to balance our budget in light of COVID-19, including greater investments in Permanent Supportive Housing and public housing. I was pleased that the Mayor’s budget did not include any cuts to services; I think it’s important to keep our safety net intact now more than ever. We have to be vigilant in ensuring that this remains the case.

Brooke Pinto: We have already seen this with the Mayor’s proposed 2021 budget that does not include funding for the Cure the Streets program. We just saw with the murder of George Floyd that police brutality does not stop during COVID-19. We have to make addressing police brutality and the criminalization of low-income and minority residents a priority. I will fight to ensure these crucial programs that have already proven to be successful are fully funded. I know we can also more effectively advocate for the federal funding that we were short-changed, but even if we do not win that battle, I will continue to be an ardent supporter of reforming our criminal justice system. My experience as a tax attorney and working on the annual budget equip me to most effectively rebalance our budget while prioritizing these crucial programs.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: Yes.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: Yes. I voted with 70+% of D.C. residents to legalize marijuana, and it’s grossly unfair that Congress prevented us from carrying out the will and intent of the voters. In the meantime, we must do everything within our local power to ensure that there is not racially disparate enforcement of marijuana-related offenses while we continue to work on a federal strategy to remove the legislative rider keeping us from implementing full legalization.

Brooke Pinto: Yes, this is an issue I have worked on closely for many years. We know that black and white neighbors use cannabis at around the same rates. However, nationwide, black men are arrested for cannabis possession and consumption at a rate of 4X their white counterparts. In the District of Columbia, 93% of our cannabis arrests for possession and consumption are of black residents.

As the Assistant Attorney General for Policy and Legislative Affairs, I oversaw our cannabis policy and represented the District of Columbia on this issue at conferences around the country. I was a member of a working group to rewrite cannabis legislation to make the law more clear for Washingtonians and to ensure that the law is not unfairly applied to minority communities and that social equity programs were including our formerly incarcerated individuals. I also worked to expand social equity programs so that when DC is allowed to have a legal adult use market for cannabis, people facing previous cannabis convictions can meaningfully compete in the marketplace. If elected to the Council, I will introduce legislation to clarify our city’s cannabis laws, support minority-owned cannabis companies and ensure the law is enforced equally, regardless of race or income level. I will also continue to pressure the federal government to lift their spending rider over us which has prevented us from implementing our adult-use marketplace.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: I would support actions which limit our criminal justice system’s negative impact on immigrant communities.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: I think that being a sanctuary city entails more than just stating a rhetorical commitment. The Council must, through the budget and oversight process, hold DOC, MPD, and others to account on following through with strong policies that cut off information-sharing and enforcement efforts that are targeted at innocent members of our immigrant community with the intention of instilling fear. That includes not just law enforcement and corrections activities, but also any government service that requires people to provide personally identifying information (e.g., school background checks). Undocumented immigrants will not come out of the shadows if they think that their information will potentially be used against them later in an enforcement action, and that’s bad not just for them but society at large.

We want all of our residents to take advantage of services that they’re eligible for so that they and their families can have the greatest opportunity to succeed at making a living here, and we also want people who are at risk of exploitation to feel comfortable coming forward to report abuse. We can only do that if we truly protect them vis-a-vis arbitrary ICE enforcement, and the Council has a role to play in consistently using the oversight process and budgetary leverage to pressure the D.C. government to live up to its word.

Brooke Pinto: I am committed to protecting Washington D.C.’s status as a sanctuary city. While at the Office of the Attorney General, I worked to stop D.C. correctional institutions from providing ICE agents with the release dates of undocumented immigrants. If we are truly a sanctuary city, our local law enforcement officers should be focused on protecting the safety of D.C. residents - not working as immigration enforcement.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: Yes. I am a co-introducer of this bill.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: Yes. This bill is an important step to reduce mass incarceration and to allow those who have successfully demonstrated rehabilitation a second chance.

Brooke Pinto: Yes, I am a strong supporter of this important piece of legislation and worked very closely on this bill with the Council. We know that the human brain does not finish developing until the age of 25. Before this age, young people are more reckless and are more prone to making irrational decisions. The Second Look Amendment Act does not guarantee early release, but allows for offenders between the age of 18-25 years old to have their cases reviewed. Mistakes a person makes before their brain fully develops should not determine their entire future. As the youngest candidate in this race, I will be an ardent advocate for our young people in the criminal justice system.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey

Jack Evans: Yes I would support the establishment of a board which would go a long way to address accountability issues at Metro.

John Fanning:  Did not complete survey

Jordan Grossman:  Did not complete survey

Daniel Hernandez:  Did not complete survey

Patrick Kennedy: The incidents of violence that we have seen by MTPD, particularly towards children of color, are unacceptable. I was proud to support fare evasion decriminalization and I also support the creation of a civilian oversight board. I think it’s important for the District to instruct its representatives to the Metro Board to center MTPD oversight in their board responsibilities and use all tools available (including the jurisdictional veto, if need be) to leverage MTPD toward the adoption of better policies and policing practices. Right now, we have only one confirmed, permanent member of the Metro Board and two alternatives serving. We need to confirm a second, permanent member who will focus on this and issues of transit equity squarely as part of their Board duties.

Brooke Pinto: Yes, I support the establishment of a civilian oversight board of MTPD. No agency can be expected to provide sufficient and effective self-oversight. A civilian oversight board is a good place to start, but residents should not be forced to ensure our law enforcement officers are treating them with respect and dignity. The D.C. Council must play a larger role in overseeing MPD and MTPD. As your Councilmember, I will push for greater transparency in these agencies and demand that MPD and MTPD officers wear body cameras at all times and that consequences are more severe for those who fail to comply.

Kishan Putta: Did not complete survey

Yilin Zhang: Did not complete survey