(Washington, DC) — The Metropolitan Police Department today announced transfers, promotions, and realignments of several units designed to better serve District residents. The changes, which take effect Sunday, April 22, 2007 are geared toward ensuring the ongoing progress and continued improvement of the Department’s efficiency and professionalism. Among the more visible changes announced today are several command-level modifications, including new commanders in the Sixth District and the substation in the Third District.
Chief of Police, Cathy L. Lanier, emphasized her main reason for making the changes is to give District residents what they have been asking her for as she travels around to community meetings across the city. “There is a recurring theme as I speak to residents across the District: our communities are crying out for more police presence. They want more officers patrolling their neighborhoods, and this first phase will begin to accomplish just that,” she said. The changes are part of a larger effort to increase the Department’s efficiency and fiscal responsibility. The Chief may make additional changes in the near future as she continues to refine and enhance the organization.
Following is a brief summary of the changes:
- Inspector Patrick Burke has been promoted to Commander and will assume the command of the newly-renamed Homeland Security and Special Operations Division. Captain Linda Brown, now promoted to Inspector, assumes Inspector Burke’s role at the Third District Substation.
- Commander Robert Contee, previously in command of the Special Operations Division, has been transferred to the command of the Sixth District.
- Captain Joshua Ederheimer has been promoted to Commander and assumes the command of the Department’s Instituteof Police Science.
- Acting Inspector Kevin Anderson has been promoted to Inspector and remains the commanding officer of the Sixth District Substation.
- Inspector Alfred Durham has been promoted to Commander and will serve as Chief of Staff in the Executive Office of the Chief of Police.
- Captain Cleora Sharkey has been promoted to Inspector and shall become the head of the Policy and Program Division in the Office of Organizational Development.
- Nola Joyce is designated the Senior Executive Director of the newly-created Office of Strategic Analysis and Innovation.
- Leann Turner has been designated as the Director of the Office of Fiscal Accountability in the Executive Office of the Chief of Police.
- Kelly O’Meara takes over the management of the Department’s policy arm, the Office of Organizational Development, as its Acting Executive Director.
- Katrice Purdie has been designated as acting Director of the Strategic Planning Division, Office of Organizational Development.
- Yvonne Smith has been designated as the Acting Director of the Office of Community Outreach in the Executive Office of the Chief of Police.