.
It baffles me as to why Chairman Gray remains enamored of Lanier who several years ago fired popular and well-respected African-American police officers who the community had developed a solid relationship with and trusted totally. She also employed tactics in the Trinidad neighborhood in Ward 5 in 2008 that drew the ire of the ACLU along with its residents – checkpoints – that would have never been allowed in Ward 3.
Based on the article, it’s the tradition in the District for the mayor to select their own police chiefs since the position is considered a “signature appointment” in terms of what the mayor hopes to accomplish regarding public safety. I’m surprised that Chairman Gray did not want to put his own signature on public safety.
I also find it disturbing that the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) has given Lanier a thumbs- down. The FOP supported and campaigned for Chairman Gray for mayor of the District of Columbia in the recent general election. Kristopher Baumann, chairman of the FOP has said publicly that he hoped that Chairman Gray would replace Chief Lanier.
I will attempt to keep an open mind in terms of Chief Lanier however; I had hoped that District residents would be through with Adrian Fenty and his dour administration.
Larry Johnson
Washington, D.C.
Letters to the Editor
- Written by WI Editorial Staff
- Thursday, 30 December 2010 17:19
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Gray Sticks with Lanier
I was surprised to learn that D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier will stay on as the District’s top cop. The article by James Wright appeared in The Washington Informer on Dec. 23. The news totally shocked me because I consider Lanier to be a Fenty loyalist and did not think that Mayor-elect Vincent Gray would have opted to keep her on as the city’s chief of police.
Granted, Lanier may enjoy an 80 percent job approval rating among some of the District’s residents, but that does not include all District residents. She may have reduced certain types of crime in the city; however large numbers of assaults continue to plague various District neighborhoods -- especially during the holiday season. There’s also a shortage of officers on foot patrols canvassing neighborhoods that are known to be havens for crime despite high levels of pedestrian foot traffic
Last modified on Wednesday, 05 January 2011 13:40
I was surprised to learn that D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier will stay on as the District’s top cop. The article by James Wright appeared in The Washington Informer on Dec. 23. The news totally shocked me because I consider Lanier to be a Fenty loyalist and did not think that Mayor-elect Vincent Gray would have opted to keep her on as the city’s chief of police.
Granted, Lanier may enjoy an 80 percent job approval rating among some of the District’s residents, but that does not include all District residents. She may have reduced certain types of crime in the city; however large numbers of assaults continue to plague various District neighborhoods -- especially during the holiday season. There’s also a shortage of officers on foot patrols canvassing neighborhoods that are known to be havens for crime despite high levels of pedestrian foot traffic
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