Council approves off‑duty Montgomery County officers for village patrols; Lt. Ari Elkin named coordinator

The Friendship Heights Village Council voted to hire off‑duty Montgomery County police officers under village employment contracts to augment traffic enforcement, pedestrian safety and general public‑safety coverage.

Francine Klein, chair of the public safety committee, moved the adoption of a program that would hire Lieutenant Ari Elkin of the Montgomery County Police Department as an off‑duty employment coordinator for the village and multiple off‑duty uniformed officers on a part‑time basis. Klein described program elements during the council meeting and moved “to adopt the program just described, including to hire under employment contracts Lieutenant Elkin as the coordinator for $800 per month, and multiple part time police officers to accomplish 40 hours per week of coverage on average at a rate of $80 per hour.”

The council voted 5–2 to approve the program. The motion authorizes employment contracts with the county officers, establishes a coordinator fee of $800 per month for Lt. Elkin and sets an initial officer pay rate of $80 per hour, with on‑the‑ground deployment to vary with seasonal and operational needs.

What council members said

Supporters said the program addresses day‑to‑day pedestrian and traffic risks and provides a visible deterrent. Council member Al Mueller said a police presence can be an important part of a multi‑pronged pedestrian‑safety strategy and that police work can complement engineering and signage improvements.

Council member John Conlow urged a broader focus on pedestrian safety and electronic enforcement while raising concerns that the draft scope emphasized patrol cars and traffic enforcement. Conlow said he wanted more specificity on how officers would coordinate with village efforts to study intersections and crossings.

How officers will operate

The program will operate under Montgomery County Police Department policies and standard operating procedures. When asked whether officers working for the village would inquire about immigration status or assist federal immigration enforcement, Lieutenant Ari Elkin, the proposed coordinator, answered directly: “The simple answer to that question is no. We we wouldn't. We don't currently do that in our current capacity. It would violate, Montgomery County Police policy.”

Elkin and council members emphasized an educational approach to enforcement: “there's a significant education piece ... it's not like officers are gonna come in heavy handed and start citing people left and right,” Elkin said, describing early work as outreach and targeted enforcement when education has not corrected unsafe behavior.

Budget and next steps

Council discussion noted that the 2026 approved budget already includes $180,000 for a police patrol line item; the treasurer said that funding reduces near‑term budgetary impact. Deployment details, employment‑contract language and administrative oversight will be finalized by staff and legal counsel before implementation. The committee had unanimously recommended the proposal before the full council vote.

Ending

Council members said the program is intended to be flexible and subject to modification after initial implementation. The council directed staff to complete employment contracts consistent with county policy and to coordinate scheduling and oversight with Lt. Elkin.