Washington, D.C.’s police force is facing its most drastic staffing shortage in half a century as homicides and other crimes are on the rise, according to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

At the end of March, the agency reported a net loss of about 450 over the past three years, and MPD chief Robert J. Contee III expects the current 3,350-officer force to shrink to about 3,130 by the end of fiscal year 2024, the Washington Post reported.

“Absent significant shifts in national employment levels, the environment for law enforcement, or the interest of younger generations in long-term government careers, MPD staffing may not recover for more than a decade,” Contee told lawmakers at a March 31 city council hearing.

[Who would want to go into policing in this environment? The disincentives have grown exponentially in the past few years, and not just in terms of financial investment. Cities have rushed to blame their social problems on policing and put their law-enforcement officers at higher risk with much less support, even absent “defunding” efforts. Until cities show that they value law enforcement, the decline may be irreversible. — Ed]