Public safety agencies react to proposed hiring, overtime freezes in DC

Yahoo

16-04-2025

WASHINGTON () — District agencies are responding to a mayoral order that freezes hiring and spending by government employees.
The order came down on Tuesday, as Mayor Muriel Bowser tries to fill a $1 billion budget gap.
The gap was created after Congress passed a spending plan last month that reverted D.C. to its 2024 spending levels, despite Congress having already approved the 2025 budget.
The Senate passed the DC Local Funds Act to address the issue and allow D.C. to continue spending at 2025 levels, however, the House went on recess without passing it.
DC mayor announces significant freezes after Congress's $1.1 billion budget slash
'We just really need Congress to act to address this fix because right now what's happening, [District officials are] calculating potential cuts to smooth over that upwards of $1 billion that Congress cut from the District's budget,' said David Hoagland, President of the DC Firefighters Association.
Hoagland said the spending freezes are worrisome.
'It's obviously concerning,' he said. 'We're just concerned if people call 911 today, they won't get the same help they would before the budget cuts.'
According to the Mayor's order, hiring, bonuses and promotions are frozen across all D.C. agencies. Overtime spending is frozen as of April 27, while furloughs and the closure of some District facilities could occur.
Public safety agencies are not exempt from these restrictions, although agencies are permitted to submit a waiver for consideration.
DC to implement freeze on hiring, overtime as it prepares for massive budget cuts
'It would be pretty catastrophic [if a waiver wasn't granted],' explained Hoagland.
Gregg Pemberton, Chairman of the DC Police Union, agrees.
'It's really concerning to see the department might be eliminating overtime and then a close second would be freezing hiring for the department,' he said.
Pemberton said response times and patrols are in jeopardy if the police department isn't granted a waiver.
'Quite a bit of the manpower that's out there on any given day is due to overtime,' he explained. 'Residents can absolutely expect to see significantly less officers on their street, fewer officers responding to serious events — and that's a concern.'
He also said a hiring freeze will impact ongoing efforts to bring the police force back to pre-pandemic staffing levels.
Officials, advocates urge House to pass DC Local Funds Act to restore budget
'A hiring freeze will absolutely bring that to a screeching halt and we will not be able to at all compete with the number of people leaving,' said Pemberton.
According to District officials, waivers will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The City Administrator is expected to present a plan for furloughs and facility closures to the Mayor by April 25.
The House will return to session on April 28.
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