The District of Columbia auditor released a report Monday that detailed how agencies fell short of their crime-fighting mission as the city looks to pass more legislation to address the spike in violence.

The auditor said the lack of a reliable forensics lab, a substandard 911 system and little long-term monitoring of violence-reduction programs exacerbated last year’s crime wave and helped drive public safety concerns to an all-time high.

“That fear, based on a surge in juvenile car thefts and stubborn statistics on homicides rising in D.C. while dropping in most other major cities, is seen as the fuel behind efforts to recall two members of the council,” the auditor’s office wrote in its report.

The report was published on the eve of the D.C. Council’s expected passage of the Secure D.C. Omnibus Amendment Act, which aims to crack down on the carjackings and shootings behind the 2023 crime wave.

A staff shortage among crime scene investigators is pulling officers away from Metropolitan Police to help the Forensics Department, according to the auditor.

Crime scene investigators are supposed to be civilians, the report said, but two dozen active-duty MPD officers still work those shifts to compensate for understaffing — which results in fewer cops on the street.

The auditor also said it found that the Office of Unified Communications — the 911 dispatch center — was below national standards when responding to emergency calls.

The report suggested going from 11 to 38 OUC shift supervisors to maintain quality assurance during calls. The auditor did note that some staffing shortages at the OUC have been addressed.

The Pathways Programs run by the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement were credited with reaching people who contribute to the city’s violence or are victims of it.

The auditor wants to see the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the federal prosecutors who handle most major crimes in the city, explain why it wouldn’t pursue use-of-force charges against certain officers.

The auditor also called on the city to set up “nonlaw enforcement approaches to build community trust and cooperation in fighting crime,” such as a Community Police Working Group.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.