BREAKING: DC Police Chief Robert Contee III is retiring

[Engine4]

That "national search" turned out not to be that national....

Did the secret service do it?

 

[AssMan]

Yes. It is a Democrat department in a Democrat city.

Lol. It's striking how much better people get along in rural areas.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Question for you Sir: Why/How did Chief Lanier stick around as Chief for such a long time? (Jan. 2007 - Sept. 2016) That made her the longest serving Chief in the history of the Department.

And when Diane Grooms didn't get the nod to follow Lanier, she retired to the private sector

 

[Sunrise]

Cuz the city loved her. She also lucked out and caught the tail end of aggressive policing while transferring to hands off. So she still had aggressive units and community units. It looked good for her. Now a days if your new policy doesn’t include kissing babies and getting cops in trouble it’s not progressive enough.

try being a new chief in a job that offers a very good pension and regularly have officers with 15 years on (past the halfway point) retire

Appreciate the explanation on that Sir.

I just don't see the crime numbers dropping substantially until the Department gets back to its authorized staffing level. There are simply not enough on the street to have a deterrent effect and we can thank the US Attorney's Office for failing to prosecute many of the individuals that are arrested.

 

[Sunrise]

And when Diane Grooms didn't get the nod to follow Lanier, she retired to the private sector

Assistant D.C. Police Chief Diane Groomes retires, to take over security for The Wharf

Assistant D.C. Police Chief Diane Groomes, head of MPD patrol and school security, is officially retiring, but she’s taking a new challenging position.She tells ABC7’s Sam Ford that she’ll be taking over security at The Wharf, D.C.’s new city within the ci

wjla.com

She runs security at The Wharf.

Chief Newsham wasn't ready for the private sector yet I guess?

Prince William County Hires DC Police Chief Peter Newsham

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Peter Newsham has been hired as the new chief of police in Prince William County, Virginia, the board of county supervisors announced Tuesday. The hiring follows a nationwide search, the board of supervisors said. The county received 50 applications. Newsham...

www.nbcwashington.com

 

[Sunrise]

My bet on the new Chief.

"Before taking her current post, Smith served as the MPD's Chief Equity Officer (CEO), leading the department's efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Prior to joining the Metropolitan Police Department in May 2022, Ms. Smith served as a United States Park Police officer for 24 years."

That place is so utterly predictable.

I wish her the best of luck and I'm glad it's not me.

I don’t know anything about her besides what’s been mentioned. The informal outlook isn’t good but I’m willing to give it a try. Cops in general don’t like change so of course the rumor mill is flowing of negative things coming back.

Long story short the mayor and council run the department. The chief can’t really effect meaningful change.

I love Contee as a human and he tried but as you can see DC can only keep a chief just long enough for them to take that cash into retirement. A chief position should be longer than 2-3 years.

It's getting spicy:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/08/11/dc-police-chief-tension-crime/

New D.C. police chief confronts command staff after violent weekend

Pamela A. Smith told commanders at a recent meeting that she wanted more captains and lieutenants away from their desks and in the streets, according to those in attendance

There's a lot in this piece. The knives are already coming out... Wow.

 

[RFBfromDE]

Does this mean that 40 days of increased peace initiative was a failure?

Anyway....

 

[Sunrise]

Does this mean that 40 days of increased peace initiative was a failure?

Anyway....

You're not accounting for inflation since that initiative was announced: It's now 90 days.

From the WaPo piece:

In choosing Smith, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) passed over Morgan C. Kane, an assistant chief and 25-year veteran of the force who many considered the heir apparent.

Kane, one of two chiefs of patrol, declined to be interviewed for this article. Smith had only been serving in the D.C. police department for 14 months before her July 17 promotion.

Ouch.

 

[Sunrise]

Does this mean that 40 days of increased peace initiative was a failure?

Anyway....

Actually, it's now "52 Weeks of Community Walks":

DC's police chief commits to 52 weeks of community walks to restore trust and safety

D.C.'s acting police chief Pam Smith and several officers hit the streets Wednesday to hear the community's concerns.

www.fox5dc.com

 

[RFBfromDE]

Yes, more listening.

"We" must listen more.

 

[Sunrise]

Yes, more listening.

"We" must listen more.

But this is listening AND walking.... It hasn't been tried before.

 

[StantonCree]

It's getting spicy:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/08/11/dc-police-chief-tension-crime/

New D.C. police chief confronts command staff after violent weekend

Pamela A. Smith told commanders at a recent meeting that she wanted more captains and lieutenants away from their desks and in the streets, according to those in attendance

There's a lot in this piece. The knives are already coming out... Wow.

Yeah I literally just read that. The amount of people willing to talk to the news anonymously there is not a good sign for her! I won’t even talk to Law students for their research without pre-approved questions and formal authorization!

 

[Sunrise]

Yeah I literally just read that. The amount of people willing to talk to the news anonymously there is not a good sign for her! I won’t even talk to Law students for their research without pre-approved questions and formal authorization!

Seriously. WaPo got 10 MPD people to talk to them.

They interviewed five people in that meeting and as well as an additional five people, four of whom are on the force in upper or mid-level positions who are in regular contact with the chief and her top aides.

That's crazy stuff. I agree with you. This isn't going well at all.

 

[Bob A]

You're not accounting for inflation since that initiative was announced: It's now 90 days.

From the WaPo piece:

In choosing Smith, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) passed over Morgan C. Kane, an assistant chief and 25-year veteran of the force who many considered the heir apparent.

Kane, one of two chiefs of patrol, declined to be interviewed for this article. Smith had only been serving in the D.C. police department for 14 months before her July 17 promotion.

Ouch.

Well, that's the way to boost morale and satisfy the wokesters!

Pretty much underscores an organisation's death spiral; crap on the folks who've been keepng it running by promoting green outsiders over their heads. Typical Blind & Stupid Management indicator.

 

[joppaj]

Yeah I literally just read that. The amount of people willing to talk to the news anonymously there is not a good sign for her! I won’t even talk to Law students for their research without pre-approved questions and formal authorization!

Agreed, that's a very bad sign. The brass either thinks she won't be around long or they dislike her so much they're willing to risk the fallout.

 

[Sunrise]

Well, that's the way to boost morale and satisfy the wokesters!

Pretty much underscores an organisation's death spiral; crap on the folks who've been keepng it running by promoting green outsiders over their heads. Typical Blind & Stupid Management indicator.

Absolutely right.

Smith is "Acting Chief" until confirmed by the DC Council. Hearings to be scheduled for sometime this Fall.

WaPo got ten people to talk.... That's insane.

 

[Sunrise]

Agreed, that's a very bad sign. The brass either thinks she won't be around long or they dislike her so much they're willing to risk the fallout.

Given the number of people that WaPo got to talk here, it's a pretty substantial portion of people in her orbit. Maybe it's my short memory, but I don't recall ever seeing something like this happen before.

 

[RFBfromDE]

But this is listening AND walking.... It hasn't been tried before.

AND walking. That's the ticket!

Flashback; 1994.

What's old is new again. And again, and again...

FOX 5 ARCHIVES: National Guard deployed to combat crime in DC in 1994

Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White recently said he supports calling in the National Guard to help patrol the streets after a surge in violent crime in the District. This isn't the first time the D.C. National Guard have been called upon to help the Metropolitan Police Department.

www.fox5dc.com

 

[traveller]

Does this mean that 40 days of increased peace initiative was a failure?

Anyway....

That sounds like something the Soviets would have come up with.

 

[Sunrise]

AND walking. That's the ticket!

Flashback; 1994.

What's old is new again. And again, and again...

FOX 5 ARCHIVES: National Guard deployed to combat crime in DC in 1994

Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White recently said he supports calling in the National Guard to help patrol the streets after a surge in violent crime in the District. This isn't the first time the D.C. National Guard have been called upon to help the Metropolitan Police Department.

www.fox5dc.com

The walking will make a difference. People will get their steps in.

Inflation is making history repeat itself more quickly.