A D.C. Police Commander is calling for unity among his fellow officers following a police union survey that resulted in a vote of no confidence for Chief Cathy Lanier.
The survey results, released this morning, found that 97.5 percent of the 1,150 officers who responded to the survey answered no to the question: “Do you have confidence that Chief Cathy Lanier is able to properly manage the resources of the Metropolitan Police Department and keep the citizens safe?”
Less than a third of the police union’s members responded to the survey.
“We’ve been forced into a corner of lackluster, feckless, inefficient enforcement and been required to stand by and watch while the leaders of the department doubled-down on their stop-gap, gimmicky tactics,” the union wrote in a press release regarding the survey.
In an e-mail sent to the Metropolitan Police Department’s Third District listserv this afternoon, Commander Jacob Kishter said he was proud of his district’s progress over the year.
“Let me start by thanking all of the officers across the city for all the excellent police work that has occurred this year,” Kishter said. “Year to date we have a 2 percent reduction in crime. We will continue to build on our successes.”
“Chief Cathy L. Lanier promoted me to district commander over six years ago and has entrusted me to provide my officers and the community that we serve with the leadership, resources, and direction to effectively do our jobs,” continued Kishter. “Each district commander has the autonomy to deploy his or her own resources and strategies.
Kishter then praised the department’s anti-crime tactics.
“Foot, bike, and segway patrols and yes, even ‘lemonade stands’ at times have been very successful to drive crime down and to keep the community safe and also feel safe,” he added. “Different situations require different tactics.”
Kishter also addressed the union survey head-on.
“Many of you may be aware that the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) held a vote of ‘No Confidence’ over this past weekend for the Chief of Police, which in reality includes all of the management, the FOP itself, and the entire Metropolitan Police Department as a whole,” he said.
“It’s time to stop creating a divide and start uniting to make this city safer. Without a doubt, we have the best police department in the country and the best leadership operating it,” Kishter concluded.
From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.
MPD Neighborhood Watch Training will be at 1620 V Street NW.(Luis Gomez Photos)
The Metropolitan Police Department is hosting a neighborhood watch training on Thursday, April 18.
The event, which will be held from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Third District Station at 1620 V Street NW, will be led by Samantha Nolan. She is an at-large member of MPD’s Citizens Advisory Council and serves as the citywide neighborhood watch trainer.
The training is focused on reducing opportunities for criminals to help prevent crime and reduce the chances of becoming a crime victim.
For more information and to RSVP, please contact Samantha Nolan at nolantutor[AT]yahoo.com. There is no cost to attend the training.
Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.
The May 28 murder on 9th Street NW was in PSA 305. (MPD website)
PM UPDATE: The Washington Post says that DC Police have charged “Samson Alemayhu, 48, with first-degree murder while armed. Alemayhu is accused of killing Assefaw Hagos.” — Borderstan
DC Police announced that they have charged a suspect in the May 28 murder of 40-year-old Assefaw Teweld Hagos of Silver Spring, MD. Hagos was found in front of 1936 9th Street NW with a stab wound at 2:19 am on the 28th; he died a short time later.
Captain Aubrey P. Mongal of MPD Third District released the following statement on the 3D listserv:
On Friday, May 28, 2010, at approximately 0219 hours, a unit from the Third District, was flagged down by a citizen at 9th and U St., NW. The citizen directed the officers to a male who was lying on the sidewalk in front of 1936 9th St., NW. The male was suffering from an apparent stab wound to the chest. DCFEMS responded and transported the victim to the Hospital, where he succumbed to his injury.
On Sunday, May 30, 2010, thanks to the hard work of the citizens, members of the Third District and our Homicide Detectives, the defendant in this case was arrested at the Homicide Branch at 2115 hours and charged with First Degree Murder while Armed pursuant to an arrest warrant for the stabbing death of the above decedent.
From the MPD, via the Third District listserv on Yahoo! Groups:
(Washington, DC) – The Metropolitan Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance to identify and locate a suspect wanted in connection with an armed robbery which occurred on Columbia Road, NW.
At approximately 9:05 a.m., on Saturday, January 31, 2009, a lone male reportedly entered C.W. Financial located in the 1700 block of Columbia Road, NW. Once inside the suspect displayed a silver colored handgun and robbed the business of an undetermined amount of cash before fleeing the scene.
