D.C. Watchdog Report Exposes Alarming Delays and Deficiencies in School Gun Violence Prevention

August 6, 2025

The District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has issued an 83-page report revealing critical safety gaps in DC public schools' approach to gun violence prevention. The evaluation documented numerous issues including delayed security-related repairs, reduced police presence with 71% of schools lacking school resource officers, inconsistent safety protocols across campuses, and the exclusion of DC Public Schools (DCPS) from key citywide gun violence initiatives. The report, covering the 2021-2023 school years, provided eleven formal recommendations to the Department of General Services (DGS) and DCPS Chancellor Lewis D.

Who is affected

DC public school students and staff
School administrators
Parents of students in DC public schools
Department of General Services (DGS)
District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) school resource officers

What action is being taken

The DC Office of the Inspector General is publishing a comprehensive report identifying safety gaps in schools
DGS is acknowledging the need for a new Safety & Security Classification Matrix for repair prioritization
DCPS Chancellor is committing to develop a formal definition of gun violence by March 2026
DCPS is revising outdated policies and working to collaborate more closely with MPD and city agencies
Both DGS and DCPS have agreed to implement all recommendations from the report

Why it matters

Half of all safety-related repairs aren't completed within the required 45-day timeframe, creating immediate security risks
Critical security infrastructure including doors, locks, communication systems, and surveillance cameras remain broken
71% of DCPS schools lack regular school resource officer coverage following MPD staffing reductions
Inconsistent implementation of safety protocols across schools affects the District's ability to provide uniform protection
DCPS has been excluded from key citywide gun violence prevention initiatives, potentially making strategies ineffective in school settings
When security systems fail, students and staff face potential risks to their safety

What's next

DGS will create a new Safety & Security Classification Matrix and implement a more structured approach to prioritizing repair requests
DCPS will develop a formal definition of "school gun violence" by March 2026
DCPS will revise outdated policies related to school safety
DCPS will collaborate more closely with MPD and other city agencies on safety initiatives
DCPS will continue working with law enforcement, facilities, and education partners to strengthen school security

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer