Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Washington, D.C. – The D.C. Police Union, Fraternal Order of Police, Metropolitan Police Department Labor Committee has endorsed Council member Tommy Wells for Mayor of the District of Columbia.
The D.C. Police Union represents the more than 3,600 police officers, detectives, and sergeants of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. The Executive Council of the D.C. Police Union voted unanimously to endorse Tommy Wells.
D.C. Police Union Chairman-elect Delroy Burton said, “The District is an amazing city with limitless potential. Over the past five years, some District politicians have done more to hurt the District and its residents than to help. That has to change. Tommy Wells is the candidate that can restore public trust in District government and its employees, while helping the District and all of its residents prosper. He is the only politician not accepting corporate or bundled money and has consistently demanded and voted for tougher ethics laws and rules.”
Burton added, “Under Vincent Gray, overall crime has increased in the District, while it has fallen across the nation. That is unacceptable. Enduring crime and violence should not be a necessary cost of living in the District. There need to be changes, including more resources and better resource allocation. And, as a council member, Tommy Wells has not shied away from tackling systemic problems with the District’s public safety agencies. He has worked with the police on everything from reducing crime to cutting overtime costs to proposing greater oversight and transparency.”
As chair of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, Tommy Wells has fought to expand crime reduction strategies, recruit better police officers, retain current police officers, and expand oversight of public safety agencies in the District. In response to receiving the D.C. Police Union endorsement, Wells commented, “I couldn’t be more proud to have the support of the brave men and women who literally put their lives on the line to keep D.C. safe. These are the finest of public servants, and I know the voters of this city will take their endorsement seriously. As Mayor, working with the police, I know that we can move forward to cut crime and violence in our city.”
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