New Mayor Replaces Respected Chief

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Shirley Gibson, the former national president of Concerns of Police
Survivors, with outgoing D.C. Metropolitan Police Chief Charles
Ramsey at an awards ceremony.

New Mayor Replaces Respected Chief
American Police Beat
February 13, 2007

by Karen L. Bune

After eight years at the helm of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and as the longest-serving chief in the nation’s capital, Chief Charles H. Ramsey’s tour of duty has ended.

The new mayor-elect, Adrian M. Fenty, decided he wanted to replace Ramsey. Fenty has chosen Commander Cathy L. Lanier, a 16-year veteran of the department who rose rapidly in the ranks and became the leader of the Office of Homeland Security and Counterterrorism within the department.

Chief Ramsey, a veteran law enforcement professional with 38 years experience, led the department in an exemplary fashion.

He was dedicated, proactive, forthright, and always had the best interests of public safety in mind. He made great strides in changing the focus of the department, and he heightened its image by the implementation of specialized units with a community outreach perspective.

His support for establishment of the Gay Lesbian Liaison Unit (GLLU) proved to be an excellent move. Previously, members of the gay community were very afraid of the police and had a tendency not to report victimization. Following the placement of this unit in the community and working with an outwardly visible presence, this population has evolved to the point of reporting crime more frequently in addition to having greater trust for the police.

Chief Ramsey has notably been able to work cooperatively and collaboratively with local and regional police departments. He knows only too well the importance of this concept after dealing with the horrific events of September 11, 2001 at the Pentagon. He engaged other departments in the local and regional sectors and understood the vital necessity of timely and effective communication. He is widely respected throughout law enforcement circles in the country.

Though Mayor Elect Fenty is of the opinion that Ramsey should have deployed more officers onto the streets of Washington, D.C. and contends that he did not do enough to lower the crime rate, Chief Ramsey did, in fact, make a significant difference. The number of homicides diminished, and there are now fewer crimes than when he took over the helm. In recent months, he recently declared a crime emergency in which officers’ days off were cancelled, and they worked six days per week. Chief Ramsey did what he had to do when he had to do it.

Chief Ramsey’s keen sense of street savvy, coupled with his high level of academic knowledge, served to enhance his overall performance, which substantially and positively impacted the city.

Terrance W. Gainer, who served as executive assistant chief under Ramsey and is now slated to be the new Senate sergeant-at-arms at the U. S. Capitol, comments, “Chuck Ramsey may be one of the finest people I have ever met. He led from the front, he believed in his officers and fought for the last eight years to make the city a better place to work and a better place to live, and he was tireless in his efforts. He grew up on the south side of Chicago, the son of a bus driver, and he’s come a long way.”

Chief Ramsey deserves thanks for all he has done. He has faced many difficult challenges during his tenure as the top cop in D.C., but he has done it all with a tremendous amount of competence and class. He will be sorely missed.

Karen L. Bune is a Victim Specialist/Legal Assistant in the State’s Attorney’s Office for Prince George’s County, Md. She is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. She can be reached at kbune@gmu.edu