Council committee hears concerns, praise as deputy mayor opposes Safe Passage bill

Council Member Brooke Pinto convened a two-day public hearing on April 24 for a package of public-safety bills; the session opened with a round of government witnesses on the Safe Passage Training and School Engagement Amendment Act of 2025 (B26-204).

Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Lindsay Appiah told the committee she "offer[s] testimony in opposition, as written, to B26-204," arguing the executive branch needs flexibility to adapt training and service models based on changing local conditions. Appiah said her office already operates a managed Safe Passage program with standard operating procedures and a set of required trainings that are delivered to more than 200 ambassadors and four community-based grantees.

The deputy mayor outlined the program's current structure: one-week onboarding in August, CPR/first aid in September, de-escalation and…