DC council gives mayor under half of $11M requested for more police, amid shortage, crime increase

The District of Columbia's City Council has unanimously decided to give Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser less than half of the $11 million she requested for more city police officers – amid an increase in violent crime and shortage of officers.

The Democrat-controlled council took the vote Tuesday and delivered Bowser what it called a "compromise" package – authorizing $5 million for the Metropolitan Police Department to hire more officers and $6 million toward other wrap-around services, according to fox5dc.com.

Bowser requested the money for 170 new officers, in addition to the 135 officers she had previously requested. 

"Residents want safety, not politics,” the council said in a statement. “Gun violence is rising because it’s contagious like a disease; a police-only response would have been a band aid that ignores the causes, when what the District needs is a vaccine."