The Council of the District of Columbia has withdrawn its Revised Criminal Code Act, a law that would have significantly reduced the penalties for most major crimes , eliminated the majority of minimum mandatory sentences, and reinstituted jury trials for misdemeanors.

This atrocious piece of legislation was vetoed by Mayor Muriel Bowser . Her veto was then overridden by the Council. Congress was the last obstacle the D.C. Council had to overcome. Unfortunately for the Council, bipartisan majorities in both chambers weren't willing to approve the legislation.

At least temporarily, then, federal oversight has ended this possible public safety nightmare. But make no mistake: The action will be retooled in the hope that it will pass unnoticed through the cracks. The D.C. Council seems committed to eroding the district's foundation of protection. One has to question local government apparatchiks when they repeatedly propose policies that reduce rather than increase citizens' safety. Considering the battle over Washington, D.C.'s pursuit of statehood, the Council's crime strategy seems to reinforce the notion that Congress always needs to have a hand in the district's affairs.

Regardless, it's clear that there is a growing number of Washington's residents who are sick and tired of the crime they face on a daily basis. Yet, in spite of the warnings from police officers and complaints from citizens, the Council has diminished the Metropolitan Police Department. This includes reducing its physical presence on the streets as well as its statutory capacity to provide protection to the general public.

The veto of this outrageous new crime law is a step in the right direction. But the district will be unable to recover quickly from the damage that has already been done to it.

David J. Terestre served as a sergeant with the Metropolitan Police Department and is a nationally published author on policing issues.