They also spend too much time away from the PSAs for administrative reasons, such as annual leave, disability leave, and administrative leave. MPD estimates that there are approximately 45 officers on extended disability leave who will never return to work. MPD is taking actions to retire these officers and to tighten controls on extended sick leave. MPD also is focusing on streamlining the booking procedures to enable officers to return to patrol as quickly as possible after an arrest, while ensuring that the necessary functions are performed. Additionally, for several months, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Office of the Corporation Counsel, and the Chief Judge of the D.C. Superior Court, and the MPD have been working very closely together to develop several case processing reforms designed to reduce the amount of time officers spend on court-related activities.
Similar programs exist in every other major jurisdiction in the country.
MPD conservatively estimates that the current case processing reforms could result in approximately two hundred thousand additional patrol hours in the short term. Another factor that contributes to fear in the District is the distrust of MPD officers, which has been heightened as a result of the recent allegations of widespread corruption in the Department. We will continue to monitor the results of these investigations as they are developed. In order to make residents and visitors feel safer on the streets and to increase the public's confidence in the police, MPD also must solve more homicide cases. MPD increased its case closure rate from approximately 57 percent in 1996 to 70 percent in 1997.