police

We learned a couple of weeks ago that Ward 4 received a new acting police commander. I had the great pleasure of sitting down with the acting commander, Inspector Linda Brown.

About Inspector Brown

Inspector Brown is 42 years old but could easily pass for 24 years old. But make no mistake she is no nonsense and receives the utmost respect from her officers. I was pleasantly surprised to see how down to earth she was. She did not spin any of her answers. I admired her direct responses to all of my questions. Originally from Memphis, TN Inspector Brown currently lives in Clinton, MD. She has been on the force for 19 years and has had previous experience in the 4th District where she served as a Patrol Sergeant for 2 years. She describes those years as the best years of her 19 year career. She does not know how long her tenure will be as acting commander of the 4th district but while she is serving in this capacity she will serve the residents of Ward 4 and aims to “keep them as safe as they possibly can be.” (more…)

A note from Council Member Muriel Bowser from the Petworth Listserv: “ Chief Lanier called to discuss with me a leadership change in the Fourth District. Commander Hilton Burton has been temporarily reassigned. Inspector Linda Gilmore Brown has been named the Acting Commander. Chief Lanier will address Ward 4 residents and introduce the Acting Commander at an Emergency Crime Meeting in Takoma tomorrow.”

Following is a note from Chief Lanier:
Dear Fourth District Residents,

As a result of additional allegations of misconduct that have recently
come to my attention, I have decided that it is in the best interest of
the community and the Department that Commander Hilton Burton be
temporarily reassigned while the investigation is conducted.

Effective today, Inspector Linda Gilmore Brown will be the Acting
Commander of the Fourth District. Inspector Gilmore Brown is a 19-year
veteran of the Department and has spent her entire career at MPD. She
is both responsive and engaged in the community, and she will serve 4D
residents well. Please welcome Inspector Linda Gilmore Brown
(Linda.Gilmore@ dc.gov) to this listserv as well.

Thank you.

Cathy L. Lanier

Chief of Police

Thoughts on this? I’m all for some change. Wow, allegations of misconduct? What have I missed? I wish Cmdr Brown the best of luck and hope she supports proper patrols, of the foot or bicycle variety preferably. What are your thoughts on Cmdr Burton being reassigned?

For those interested in the meeting tomorrow the details are after the jump. (more…)

A few weeks ago I met one of the MPD officers who patrols our neighborhood. I only met him briefly. So it was much to my surprise when I was walking down New Hampshire last weekend when I saw about 6 cops and one perp handcuffed on the sidewalk. I thought it would be a good idea to walk by the scene very briskly. Well the MPD officer who I met a few weeks ago was there and he calls out hello. It was really funny. Right in the middle of what looked like a very serious bust, the officer greets my like it is perfectly normal day. Well, much respect to those guys. If we get more new officers patrolling the beat like him we will certainly be moving in the right direction of community policing.

As is the theme in the Prince of Petworth, I absolutely do not advocate doing as I do. So as I have mentioned, my walks home from the metro are sometimes less than pleasant. As such I have taken to preparing myself for my walk home with a little bit of protection and I don’t mean the trojan kind. So from time to time I carry a little something in my back pocket not really so much for defense but psychologically it makes me feel a bit better.

So I was going to a metro stop on the green line with my defense in my back pocket listening to the ipod and feeling good. So of course I’m waiting 12 minutes for the metro to come and I’m oblivious to the world around me. Well, a metro cop walks right up to me and asks if he can talk to me. Of course being the good law abiding citizen that I am, I oblige the officer. He asks me “are you off duty?”. Hmm, I’m thinking I had jury duty once but I have no idea what he is talking about, so I stutter what!? He quickly realizes I’m not a cop which is pretty apt as I look more like an insurance agent. At any rate he says “you know I could arrest you for that in your back pocket”. I say, very innocently, I did not know that. I ask the officer if he would like me to put it in my back pack? He replies no it’s cool just cover it with your shirt – have a good day.

Now, of course I am grateful to the officer for not arresting me but it does make me wonder how much discretion these guys have enforcing the law. Anyway, I shan’t look a gift horse in the mouth. The moral of the story: The Prince of Petworth is one lucky bastard.