D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier Profiled in More
More magazine gives the long treatment to D.C. police Chief Cathy Lanier. The magazine's slogan is "Celebrating women 40+" and that should give you all the insight you need into just how investigative this profile is.
If it doesn't, then perhaps this snippet from the story will:
Lanier may be chief, but her heart remains stubbornly with the foot soldiers, the beat cops who, she says, “can tell you exactly when certain crimes are going to pick up in certain neighborhoods.” And with the single mothers (and aunts and grandmothers) whose profound strength and influence she feels are vastly underestimated. Reaching, appreciating, serving and, ultimately, utilizing the underdogs, both within and outside the department, has been a hallmark of Lanier’s administration. Some might call it her obsession. She has created a Web site where cops can take their gripes and advice directly to her. She gives out her business card to everyone she meets, and often her private cell number as well. (She guesses at least a thousand D.C. citizens now have it.) She insists on being called every time there is a shooting in the city. “A lot of people have criticized me a little for being too far down in the weeds,” Lanier admits. “But if you separate yourself from the people involved in and impacted by crime, you’re going to fail.”
Photo by Darrow Montgomery
3:24 pm
Are you sure MORE Magazine isn't a front for The Onion? You guys are forcing me to read the rag just to see if a balanced story was written.
3:25 pm
Bravo, Wemple! This is exactly the kind of blog story readers have come to expect here. Keep up the great work!
4:03 pm
Okay, I read the full story. Not bad. Lanier's personality was never an issue. Neither was her rising from the ranks so to speak. The issue surrounding her is mostly the policing. While AHOD is marketing (in this article) as community policing, the execution of it may be a few meters short of that.
How she explained the lessons learned from Trinidad, as in "next time I won't tell anybody" doesn't sit well with me. It is important that SHE TELLS people, not to eliminate the element of surprise but to garner the support of the citizens she is swarn to protect. Of the Trinidad neighbors I know, not all were in support of the Lock Down. These neighbors weren't criminals, but the perception of a Police State, especially with the Patriot Act, Security cameras, etc. is just baiting the ACLU.
Unfortunately, the nature of politics makes even a story like this of 40+ year old seem like gushing promotional material. Add to that Chief Lanier is oftentimes made to be a press conference prop after some major crime activity or politician (Fenty, Gray, Graham) wants to instill fear in the citizenry.
7:42 pm
oh I think I am going to throw up!!!!
9:03 pm
"She insists on being called every time there's a shooting in the city". Right!! They left out the part about her "insisting that no police shooting is properly investigated and that the public should never know the details even when they financed the homicide". Her number one sin is stonewalling the public.
8:13 pm
Who gives a fuck about her anyway? She needs to stop covering up crimes for certain people. Federal authorities need to look into her activities as well.