Parents, Safe‑Passage Workers and Deputy Mayor Urge More School‑Level Coordination for Student Routes

Councilmember Brooke Pinto convened the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety on March 5 for performance oversight and public testimony on the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice cluster. Parents and community providers said the city has made progress since Safe Passage moved under the deputy mayor’s office but urged more school‑level coordination and clearer routes for follow‑up after incidents.

Advocates including Carrie Savage, senior director of policy and advocacy at Parents Amplifying Voices in Education (PAVE), and Cassandra Griffin of Collaborative Solutions for Communities praised DMPSJ for changes to the program: moving from school‑specific routes to neighborhood zones, standardizing Safe Passage ambassador procedures, and including community voices in a revised ambassador request for proposals. Savage also told the committee Safe Passage partners had documented a 15 percent overall drop in crime and a 35 percent drop in violent crime over the prior year, and that parents want more consistent communication between ambassadors and school leaders.

The nut graff of testimony was that while citywide policy changes and the deputy mayor’s oversight have strengthened the program, parents and providers want routine, school‑specific touchpoints so ambassadors, principals and youth services can exchange information in real time. Speakers described practical fixes: standardized, neighborhood‑specific training for ambassadors; simple communications tools such as walkie‑talkies or messaging apps for ambassadors and school staff; and more opportunities for principals and Safe Passage managers to meet.

Safe Passage supervisors described how follow‑up typically works after a fight or other incident: a report into the system, a 5:30 p.m. call among grantee managers and DMPSJ staff to review the alert, then next‑day follow‑up at the school. Providers said follow‑up can include mediations (frequently held off school grounds), additional ambassador coverage the next day, and referral to neighborhood supports. Several witnesses described using “flex funds” and rideshare to get at‑risk students home safely when urgent alternatives are needed.

Several parent leaders and Safe Passage workers asked for clearer data collection and an improved public reporting cadence, so principals, community organizations and elected officials can track where incidents recur and whether changes to routes or staffing reduce repeat problems. One public witness, a data scientist, urged the deputy mayor and Metropolitan Police to release more frequent stop‑and‑arrest data so community groups and school leaders can spot trends earlier.

Deputy Mayor Lindsay Appiah told the committee DMPSJ has prioritized standardized training, neighborhood‑based routes and cross‑agency coordination and agreed more school engagement is needed. Pinto and other council members said the city should focus on both citywide standards and on ensuring each school has a clear local point of contact for Safe Passage staff.

Ending: Committee members asked DMPSJ and DC Public Schools to continue monthly principal or site‑leader meetings tied to Safe Passage routes and to return with data showing how changes affect student safety and attendance. Several witnesses said they would submit written testimony and supporting documents for the record.