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cmchenderson.bsky.social
CM Christina Henderson
@cmchenderson.bsky.social
500 followers 15 following 260 posts
Official account of At-Large DC Councilmember Christina Henderson @chenderson.bsky.social

Fighting to ensure DC works for all residents, in every ward.
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LIVE: Saint Elizabeths Hospital Operational and Safety Concerns

www.youtube.com/live/64XsWFG...
Saint Elizabeths Hospital Operational and Safety Concerns
YouTube video by Councilmember Christina Henderson
www.youtube.com
January 22, 2026 at 2:34 PM
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This morning I sent a letter to Interim MPD Police Chief Jeffery Carroll asking about MPD’s use of Flock Safety tech. In 2024 MPD entered into a contract with Insight Public Sector for 67 Flock automated license reader (ALPR) camera systems. 1/2
Dear Interim Chief Carroll, I am writing to inquire about the status of the Metropolitan Police Department's ("MPD") use of Flock Safety ("Flock") technology. Flock operates one of the largest surveillance camera networks in the United States. The firm primarily contracts with local law enforcement, commercial, and private partners. According to records available from the Office of Contracting and Procurement ("OCP"), in December 2024, MPD entered into a firm fixed price contract with Insight Public Sector for 67 Flock automated license plate reader ("ALPR") camera systems and supporting software, software training, software maintenance and upgrades, and implementation. ' The contract's base period ran from 12/31/2024 - 12/30/2025. I am not opposed to the use of ALPRs or surveillance cameras, per se. These technologies can be helpful tools in preventing and solving crimes. However, there have been alarming media reports about Flock's data sharing capabilities which I believe demands further scrutiny. Although Flock sells hardware to customers, its major selling point to law enforcement agencies is its National Lookup Tool, a feature that permits other enrolled customers to search data collected through any ALPR camera of participating customers? In essence, this creates a national surveillance data-sharing network which, for example, would allow law enforcement agencies in Florida to access footage from an ALPR in Indiana without Indiana law enforcement's awareness or active sign-off. In 2025, Flock reported that 75% of its law enforcement customers participated in this feature, so we know it is popular. But we also know that it is not always used in a manner that the vast majority of District residents would agree with. Last May, there were reports of local law enforcement officers in Texas using the Flock tool to conduct a nationwide search for the vehicle of a woman who was believed to have had an abortion, which is illegal in Texas? In September, the Virgina Center for Investigative Journalism released analysis that showed data gathered through local law enforcement agencies in Virginia who contract with Flock was searched over 3,000 times by federal law enforcement officers through the National Lookup Tool to surveil immigrants for deportation proceedings.* Flock claims that the company has never contracted with federal law enforcement. However, Flock piloted a partnership with federal law enforcement, including US Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, the Secret Service, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, providing these agencies with access to its systems and thereby all of the data of its networked jurisdictions. Flock reported that HSI conducted 200 searches and CPB conducted 175 searches during the pilot.' While Flock has stated that this pilot project has ended, federal law enforcement has the means to continue accessing data collected by Flock's customers. In Washington, Michigan, and Florida, local police departments added federal immigration enforcement officers to their approved Flock system user lists, allowing federal officials to access data at those departments' disposal.® In one instance, federal law enforcement accessed a Virginia law enforcement department's database because an employee provided access without the department's authorization; department policy alone cannot prevent unauthorized access to the National Lookup Tool.? Flock puts no guardrails on its systems; it acknowledges that data collected through its systems may be provided to federal immigration enforcement agencies at the discretion of its customers.® The immediate, unquestioned access to surveillance data made available by Flock's National Lookup Tool goes far beyond the standard data-sharing practices of local law enforcement agencies. It also undermines shield laws, such as the District's Human Rights Sanctuary Amendment Act of 2022, which prohibits our police officers from participating in interstate investigations regarding a person seeking abortion or gender-affirming care. As I stated earlier, I am not opposed to ALPR technology; however, I am opposed to District taxpayers potentially subsidizing a surveillance network that does not expressly advance the District's public safety interests. Outside law enforcement agencies should not obtain surveillance data obtained through a District-subsidized contract without MPD's awareness and express permission on a case-by-case basis. Information made available by OCP regarding MPD's contract with Flock is limited, so I would appreciate responses to the following questions no later than January 31, 2026. 1. The base year of the contract for Flock ALPRs ran from 12/31/2024-12/30/2025. Has MPD extended this contract? a. If yes, provide the total cost of the contract extension and the contract term. b. Were there any contract modifications beyond the contract term? 2. Were all 67 Flock ALPRs outlined in the base year contract delivered and installed timely? a. What criteria did MPD use when determining the placement of the 67 Flock ALPRs? b. Does MPD have the ability to move the location of these ALPRs independently? Or does the contractor relocate the devices? 3. Does MPD participate in Flock's National Lookup Tool? 4. Do any clauses in MPD's contract with Flock give MPD exclusive ownership of data collected on Flock cameras? If so, provide a copy of the contract with any such language highlighted. 5. Describe the protocol for who within MPD has the access to the Flock software system, and, if applicable, the National Lookup Tool. 6. What, if any, safeguards does MPD employ in its contract with Flock to ensure that its use complies with District law? a. Does MPD audit access logs to ensure that Flock's software is not being used improperly within MPD? b. Who within MPD has access to the Flock APLR database? c. Does MPD have internal policies requiring those who search the Flock ALPR database to provide clear case-specific reasons for a search? Or does MPD policy permit generic search terms that provide minimal detail about the reasons for a search? 7. Describe MPD's process for external law enforcement, including federal law enforcement, to request data collected through surveillance technology owned or contracted for use by MPD. 8. Has any person who works for MPD ever facilitated access to footage gathered through surveillance cameras, including Flock LPRs, to federal law enforcement? a. Does MPD have a policy governing employees' ability to share data or provide access to data with outside entities? Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter. You may contact my Legislative Director, Gabrielle Rogoff, at grogoff@dccouncil.gov, with any questions. Sincerely, Christina Henderson At-Large Councilmember Chair, Committee on Health
January 20, 2026 at 5:11 PM
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In my latest version of The Henderson Brief I offered readers the chance to better acquaint themselves with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work beyond “I Have a Dream”. Today, in celebration of his life of service I share quotes that may not be as familiar to you.
"The great masses of people are determined to end the exploitation of their races and lands. And in majestic chorus they are singing the words of our freedom song, "ain't gonna let nobody turn us around" And so the collision course is set. The people cry for freedom and the congress attempts to legislate repression. " Speech: The Three Evils of Society, keynote address delivered at the National Conference on New Politics, Chicago, IL, 08/31/1967 "A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the frames and justice of many of our past and present policies. On the one hand, we are called to play the Good Samaritan on life's roadside, but that will only be an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho Road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life's highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring." Speech: Beyond Vietnam, speech at Riverside Church in New York City, 02/4/1967
January 19, 2026 at 2:19 PM
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Celebrating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King feels draped with a particular tension this year.

Read the latest installation of The Henderson Brief at the link below.

www.christinahendersondc.com/newsletters/...

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Dear Neighbors, I don’t know about you, but heading into the holiday weekend celebrating the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King feels draped with a particular tension this year. The same people who will inevitably praise and misquote Dr. King about being colorblind are in fact funding a regime that is actively racially profiling individuals on the street to ask for their papers. They are the very same people canceling critical health research grants for the mere mention of the word “diversity” in a grant proposal. Brace yourself – hypocrisy will be on high display in America come Monday. Though Dr. King was committed to non-violence, that did not make him a so-called moderate in his demands for change. Dr. King was fiercely opposed to systemic racism. He was anti-war and critiqued the United States for placing “insatiable military demands” above the critical needs of our own underprivileged citizens. Dr. King called out Democrats and Republicans alike for not doing enough to advance civil rights. He believed in racial alliances and labor solidarity to break economic inequality. It is crazy the number of speeches and writings of King in the 1960s that apply to our current times. But as it turns out, racism was not just “a passing phase” in the cycles of our nation’s life. As I write this, I’m preparing to head into Day 2 of immersive workshops led by the Groundwater Institute with my cohort for Leadership Greater Washington. Groundwater’s approach is grounded in three things: 1) Racial inequity looks the same across systems; 2) Socio-economic difference does not explain the racial inequity; 3) Systems contribute significantly to disparities. I’ve done several racial justice type workshops and trainings in my life, but Groundwater’s focus on systems is unique. I stayed up way too late into the evening looking at my notes and reflecting on this from one of our facilitators: ‘Most of us are trained to fix people. We are not trained to fix systems – infrastructure – “the groundwater.”’ Sometimes even laws do not change systems. For example, in 2018, the rate of black homeownership was virtually the same as it was when the Fair Housing Act passed in 1968. Day 1 was understanding how the system was built. It’s hard to undo a system if you do not understand how it got there in the first place. A wealth of information was shared, and even I as a history buff learned new stories I hadn’t heard about the founding of this country. Do you know the story of John Punch in 1640?
January 16, 2026 at 9:58 PM
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@breadforthecity.bsky.social works to help DC low income residents by providing and connecting them with pivotal resources. They provide food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services in an effort to nurture their lives.

Thank you for showing me around your NW Center this week!
January 9, 2026 at 4:43 PM
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A special edition of my newsletter is live and there is much to talk about.

Performance oversight 📑
Roundtables held by the COH 🏥
Holiday tree collection 🎄
Neighborhood events and loads of notables milestones throughout the District! 🎉

Read my full letter below.
January 9, 2026 at 4:23 PM
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The Committee on Health will hold a public roundtable on the Saint Elizabeths Hospital Operational and Safety Concerns on January 22 at 9:30am in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building.

Visit lims.dccouncil.gov/Hearings/heari… to register to testify or submit written testimony.
January 7, 2026 at 5:31 PM
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Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday and a Merry Christmas!
December 25, 2025 at 1:21 PM
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Happy Holidays DC from Team Henderson!

Our office will be closed until January 5, 2026. We hope everyone is having a joyous holiday time and look forward to seeing your faces in the new year. 🎄
December 24, 2025 at 2:06 PM
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If you didn’t catch The Henderson’s Brief last installment of 2025 you can read my opening letter below! This version of my newsletter highlights my legislative endeavors over the last 12 months and shares investments made by the Committee on Health. www.christinahendersondc.com/newsletters/...
December 22, 2025 at 5:41 PM
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Today, I introduced the E911 Modernization Amendment Act of 2025. The bill would enhance resources for the District’s emergency response telecommunications
system, with the goal of creating a safer and more responsive public safety system
December 15, 2025 at 10:03 PM
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DC’s neighbors have already created protections for their residents to mitigate the burden of medical debt. The Medical Debt Mitigation Amendment Act ensures we don’t fall behind.
December 15, 2025 at 8:00 PM
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Nearly 90,000 DC residents have unpaid medical bills, leaving negative impacts on households— such as bankruptcy, job loss, eviction, food insecurity, and poor physical and mental health outcomes. Medical debt affects everyone, regardless of socioeconomic standing.
December 15, 2025 at 7:51 PM
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Today the Committee on Health will have a public hearing on the Medical Debt Mitigation Amendment Act of 2025. You can watch the hearing here: m.youtube.com/@CMCHenderso...
December 15, 2025 at 3:13 PM
cmchenderson.bsky.social
Marion Barry Avenue and Cafe opened earlier this Sept. in Ward 8, Dreaming Out Loud’s direct response to the ongoing presence of food deserts in the community. The market and cafe offers groceries, hot food, and nutrition education.
December 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
cmchenderson.bsky.social
Great time speaking with George Washington University's Medical School Dean, Barbara Bass, at GW's President Ellen Granberg Holiday Reception.
December 11, 2025 at 3:01 PM
cmchenderson.bsky.social
Today’s Committee on Health hearing will cover the Prenatal and Postpartum Remote Patient Monitoring Clarification Amendment Act and the Judith Herman Memorial Workers with Disabilities Act

Watch it here: youtube.com/live/OFLuIOt34…
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December 11, 2025 at 2:29 PM
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The days may be shorter but the Committee on Health is still as productive as ever! This installation of “The Henderson Brief” highlights the concerns of our littlest learners. You can read my opening letter above and my full newsletter here: christinahendersondc.com/newsletters/th…
December 10, 2025 at 3:49 PM
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LIVE: Committee on Health Hearing on the Behavioral Health Housing Voucher Transparency Amendment Act of 2025, the Place-Based Substance Use Disorder Outreach Amendment Act of 2025, and the 988 Lifeline Support and Sustainability Establishment Amendment Act of 2025 ⬇️

www.youtube.com/live/TAtyZrX...
Public Hearing on B26-0226, B26-0091, and B26-0462
YouTube video by Councilmember Christina Henderson
www.youtube.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:48 PM
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Ever wondered what are the most important topics to our youngest DC residents? This morning I joined School-Within-School’s 3rd grade class to find out and shared how they could participate in creating change in their community.
December 8, 2025 at 7:31 PM
cmchenderson.bsky.social
Thanks to everyone that participated in our Rank Choice Voting (RCV) 2025 Example Ballot! Polls closed yesterday at 5:00pm and results are in. Check out the visual below to see who won. 🗳️
December 5, 2025 at 3:24 PM
cmchenderson.bsky.social
LIVE: Roundtable on Changes to the District’s Medicaid and Alliance Programs

www.youtube.com/live/rEALxPo...
Roundtable on Changes to the District’s Medicaid and Alliance Programs
YouTube video by Councilmember Christina Henderson
www.youtube.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:26 PM
cmchenderson.bsky.social
Today Team Henderson took a field trip to the @wmata.com holiday pop up and the Downtown Holiday Market to support local business in the District. I even took home some great Metro swag!
December 2, 2025 at 11:57 PM
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Upcoming schedule for the Committee on Health.

You can sign up to testify here: lims.dccouncil.gov/hearings/
December 2, 2025 at 2:38 PM
cmchenderson.bsky.social
👩🏾‍🏫 Today, I’m breaking down Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)! As DC elections get more and more competitive, RCV allows for voter’s preferences for candidates to truly be realized. Cast your vote using our example ballot ⬇️

🗳️ bit.ly/48ugPvk
December 1, 2025 at 8:42 PM