Making our city safer

[Guest Vince]

I’ve repeatedly said that we cannot talk about giving our children a high-quality education or creating jobs for District residents without discussing how to create safer communities in every neighborhood of our city.

 

That’s why today I’m delighted to announce my appointments to the District’s top public safety positions – a team of extraordinarily talented individuals who I know will serve the people of the District of Columbia honorably and faithfully.

 

Those appointments start with the re-establishment of the position of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice, whose job it will be to coordinate all of the city’s public safety and legal sectors. It is an important role I am entrusting Paul A. Quander, Jr. to fulfill. Paul is currently the executive director of the independent Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and has the experience needed to perform admirably as deputy mayor.

 

I’ve asked Chief of Police Cathy Lanier to continue to serve in that role after four very successful years as the head of the Metropolitan Police Department. I share the public’s great confidence in Chief Lanier and am excited to work with her in implementing an anti-crime strategy that involves community policing, education, even-handed enforcement and arrests, social services, and certainty of punishment.

 

I’ve nominated Irvin B. Nathan to serve as the Attorney General of the District of Columbia after extensive service on Capitol Hill and with the U.S. Justice Department. Irvin will join me in taking politics out of the office of the attorney general and ensuring that public safety decisions are not clouded by political motives.

 

And finally, I’m very excited to welcome Kenneth B. Ellerbe back to the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department as its new chief. Kenneth served for more than 27 years with D.C. FEMS, rising to the rank of Deputy Chief before taking over the Sarasota County Fire and Emergency Services Department in Florida in 2009.