The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), meeting this week in the District of Columbia, presented its prestigious Robert Lamb Jr. Humanitarian Award on Monday to Chief Charles H. Ramsey for his leadership in reforming use-of-force polices and practices within the Metropolitan Police Department.

A founding member of NOBLE, Robert Lamb Jr. devoted his 30-year career as a police officer and criminal justice educator and practitioner to reducing police use of deadly force. In March 1982, NOBLE established the Humanitarian Award in Lamb's name to be presented to sensitive and innovative law enforcement officials who have furthered that goal.

Ramsey was selected for implementing dramatic changes over the last three years in MPD's use-of-force policies, training, equipment, and investigations. Among the reforms pioneered by Ramsey was the introduction of a " use-of-force continuum " policy in the MPD, expansion of mandatory use-of-force training for sworn members from eight to 16 hours a year, and creation of a Force Investigation Team to conduct thorough reviews of all instances in which officers use deadly force. These and other reforms were codified in a historic Memorandum of Agreement that DC Mayor Anthony Williams and Chief Ramsey signed in June with US Attorney General John Ashcroft.

The results of the changes implemented to date have been dramatic. For example, the number of persons shot by Metropolitan Police officers plunged 78 percent between 1998 and 2000. Discharges at persons dropped 41 percent between 1999 and 2000, and total rounds fired at persons declined 58 percent during this same period. The FIT unit has received international recognition, including being named a finalist in the 2000 Webber Seavey Award for Quality in Law Enforcement, co-sponsored by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and Motorola, Inc.

"I am truly humbled and proud to receive this award," Ramsey said. "I am humbled to be recognized by my peers for work in an area that is so vitally important to police operations and police-community relations. And I am proud of all the men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department who have embraced our reform program and made it work where it counts —on our streets, in our communities."

Ramsey accepted the Lamb Award during the Opening Luncheon of NOBLE's 25th Annual Conference, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Northwest. The conference continues through August 1.