The Department of Corrections Deferred Retirement Option Program Amendment Act of 2025 (DOC DROP Act) aims to enhance staffing levels within the District of Columbia's Department of Corrections (DOC) by allowing retirement-eligible correctional officers to participate in a deferred retirement option program (DROP). This program enables these employees to continue working for up to three years after their normal retirement date while accruing supplemental retirement benefits in a separate account. The legislation is designed to address the significant staffing shortages that DOC has faced, which have resulted in a 15.5% vacancy rate in Fiscal Year 2024 and a 12.57% vacancy rate in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2025.

The bill includes specific amendments to existing law, such as adding a provision that allows employees of the DOC who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police to enter the DROP. Additionally, it clarifies that participating members who are entitled to medical leave will cease participation in the DROP after 120 days on medical leave. The DOC DROP Act is intended to improve retention of experienced correctional officers, thereby enhancing the overall stability and safety of the DOC and its residents.