Some critics of the new scheduling system have described it as being insensitive to the families of our members. Having been a police officer for more than three decades (and a father), I know first-hand that family members share in the sacrifices that our officers must make in their roles as public servants. I am extremely sensitive to their needs.
I am also sensitive to the needs of the families living in our communities. Far too many of them are literally trapped inside their homes for fear of crime and violence. It is these families that Metropolitan Police officers have taken an oath to serve and protect. The new deployment system will help our officers carry out that oath more effectively and with greater safety.
The American work force has changed dramatically during the last 30 years, and those changes are reflected in the work force of today's police departments, including the MPDC. With more two-wage couples, more single parents and more adults caring for parents, there is a natural conflict between the unique operational needs of our Police Department and the personal needs of our members.
Simply setting police officers' work schedules to fit their personal needs does not solve the problem. As police officers, we still have a larger duty to the Department and to the public. I am committed, however, to working very aggressively to help our members keep up with the unique demands of their job, while minimizing the disruptive effect on their families. It is time that we in policing address this issue once and for all.
I have spoken with Mayor Williams about this issue, and he has given me the responsibility to find creative and meaningful answers to the challenge of providing quality and flexible child care to our members. The Mayor has instructed me to form a committee, to include police officers, the Fraternal Order of Police, the private sector and the child-care profession, that will take a serious look at ways to provide for the child-care needs of our members. That committee will make recommendations to the Mayor on how these needs can be met effectively and cost-efficiently.
Our goal remains to make the District of Columbia the safest major city in America by making the MPDC the best police department in the country. That's my goal. I know it's the Mayor's goal. And I'm certain it's the goal of the Fraternal Order of Police and all of our members. I recognize that to achieve that goal, I will need the support of our officers and the communities we serve. On this issue, I have listened to the concerns of both officers and community. And I believe we have a plan that meets our obligation to provide round-the-clock policing services, while attempting to minimize the disruption to the family lives of our members.
