A Good Chief Goes

The D.C. police department and the city are far better off because of Charles Ramsey.

NEWS THAT Mayor-elect Adrian M. Fenty has decided to turn to someone else to head the D.C. police department comes as no surprise. For some time, Mr. Fenty and D.C. Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey have not seen eye to eye on the department's performance, a fact that Mr. Fenty never kept secret. Under the circumstances, and given the incoming mayor's determination to be hands-on with the police force and other city agencies, it probably is best that he have a person of his choice leading the department when the Fenty administration gets started on Jan. 2.

The departure of Chief Ramsey is, however, a development that many District residents and this page receive with regret. The D.C. police force that the chief bequeaths to his successor is in far better shape than the one Mr. Ramsey inherited upon his arrival in Washington eight years ago. The credit goes to him. As the longest-serving police chief since the start of home rule three decades ago, Chief Ramsey, the record will show, made the best use of his time. In every major category of offense -- homicides, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, larcenies and vehicle thefts -- rates are down. He took a department that was loosely run and staffed with poorly trained, quick-triggered officers and converted it into a better managed and more disciplined force. From scout cars to technology, police officers now do their jobs with 21st-century resources.

There have been bumps along the way, serious missteps that cost the city dearly. The September 2002 Pershing Park incident, in which large numbers of protesters were improperly arrested and detained, stained the reputation of a department renowned for its handling of mass demonstrations in the nation's capital. It also cost the city thousands of dollars to settle lawsuits. Chief Ramsey accepted responsibility for the misbehavior, as he should have, and apologized to the city.

Mr. Fenty, in deciding to appoint police Cmdr. Cathy L. Lanier as the next chief, has drawn from within the ranks of the department. It is reassuring that Chief Ramsey spoke well of Ms. Lanier's appointment and that she also has the background and qualifications that Mr. Fenty seeks in a chief. They apparently agree on community policing, and she appears to be in sync with his leadership style. It will soon fall to the new leadership in the John A. Wilson Building and in police headquarters to maintain and expand on the advances achieved by Chief Ramsey. As for the departing chief, any police jurisdiction in the country would be fortunate to have him.