Mayor Bowser Nominates Peter Newsham as Permanent MPD Chief of Police replacing Cathy Lanier

via @SafeDC

Statement from Councilmember Charles Allen:

“In response to the nomination of Interim Chief of Police Peter Newsham by Mayor Bowser to assume the permanent position, Councilmember Charles Allen issued the following statement:

“As the Chair of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, I’m looking forward to leading the Council’s confirmation process for the Mayor’s nominee. My top priorities for the next Chief will be a demonstrated commitment to community policing and relationship building, enhancing the transparency of the Department’s operations and data, protecting our most vulnerable communities and residents, and stabilizing the police force by recruiting and retaining the best of the best.

I take the Council’s role in confirming a new Chief seriously, as I do our responsibility to engage District residents and our officers. The Committee will hold three public hearings in the coming weeks for public comment on the nomination — two roundtables held in the community and one public hearing at the Wilson Building. Dates and locations will be announced shortly.

I look forward to hearing from Interim Chief Newsham about his qualifications and vision for the Department.”

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Today, Mayor Bowser announced that she has nominated 28-year Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) veteran and longtime deputy to former MPD Chief Cathy Lanier, Peter Newsham, as the next MPD Chief of Police. Newsham joined MPD in 1989 and has served as Interim Chief of Police since September 2016.

“As we continue our work in creating a safer, stronger DC, I am confident that Chief Newsham has the skills and relationships to successfully lead our police force. He understands and believes in community policing, and he is trusted by members of the community,” said Mayor Bowser. “As Interim Chief, he led a successful presidential inauguration and repeatedly demonstrated that he is committed to transparency and accessibility. Chief Newsham truly values and respects the residents of Washington, DC, and I know that we will be able to work together to stand up for and protect our DC values.”

After Cathy Lanier retired as Chief of Police, Mayor Bowser launched a nationwide search to identify the most talented and experienced candidates to fill the position. As part of the process, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice facilitated opportunities for residents and stakeholders to talk to the Administration about their public safety experiences and concerns. An overview of the feedback can be found HERE.

As Interim Chief of Police, Newsham oversaw MPD’s transition to a sector patrol strategy as well as the full deployment of body-worn cameras to all patrol officers. Before being named Interim Chief of Police, Newsham served as Assistant Chief at MPD for 14 years and head of the Investigative Services Bureau, the department responsible for investigating violent, property, sexual assault, and narcotic crimes. In previous positions, Newsham oversaw MPD’s internal affairs and disciplinary review offices and the northern regional command, which included the Second, Third, and Fourth police districts.

Newsham has a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law and is licensed to practice law in Washington, DC and Maryland.

In addition to announcing the next Chief of Police, Mayor Bowser also announced that Quincy Booth, the current Interim Director for the DC Department of Corrections (DOC), will take over as the new DOC Director. Prior to becoming DOC’s Interim Director, Booth served as the Deputy Director for Management Support at DOC where he implemented an organizational realignment for the Management Support Division and created the agency’s first Equal Opportunity and Diversity Division. Prior to his role at DOC, Booth was the Chief of Staff for the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice.

“Quincy knows Washington, DC well, and he knows the ins and outs of DC’s public safety and justice systems,” said Mayor Bowser. “In Washington, DC, we value giving residents second chances when they earn them, and because of Qunicy’s leadership and the workforce training programs he oversees, we are positioning more of our returning citizens for a successful return to their families. There is no one better positioned to lead the DC Department of Corrections and to continue overseeing the Correctional Treatment Facility than Director Booth.”

On February 1, 2017, the DC DOC assumed operation of the Correctional Treatment Facility. For the past 20 years, the Correctional Treatment Facility had been under the management of the Corrections Corporation of America. The DC Department of Corrections now operates the Central Detention Facility and the Correctional Treatment Facility. “