A changed police department means a second chance for Police Chief Soulsby.

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Soulsby Vows to Mend D.C. Police

D.C. Police Chief Larry D. Soulsby, whose authority has been strengthened by the D.C. financial control board, said yesterday that he can turn his department into one of the best in the nation.

Mayor Marion Barry, who has agreed to relinquish much of his authority over the department to Soulsby next week, said yesterday that he plans to hold the chief to his promise or replace him.

But some people in the deparment and the community say it may be too late for that.

Soulsby "feels that he can deliver, but the sense is from the community that we've not seen that kind of bold leadership needed," said the Rev. Darrell Macklin, of the Washington Interfaith Network, a coalition of religious leaders who have joined forces to build low-income housing and start after-school programs.

In a meeting with the control board Tuesday, coalition members said that shifting the balance of power at the police department does not go far enough toward remedying its problems.

Macklin said in an interview yesterday that although Soulsby has had the time to implement programs to combat crime, he has failed to do so. Now, the community wants a chief who has a specific crime-fighting plan.

"There needs to be a more aggressive restructuring of the department from the top on down," Macklin said. "Visionary leadership? We just haven't seen it. The people in the community are ready to get involved in the fight against crime, but they don't have anything to rally around."

Former U.S. attorney Joseph E. diGenova agreed that Soulsby can't do the job.

"He's just not a leader," diGenova said. "I'm afraid Chief Soulsby just doesn't have it. He has been weak from the beginning. The department needs a dynamic new leader who has the respect of Congress and the White House."

But U.S. Attorney Eric H. Holder Jr. said that it's not too late for Soulsby to turn the department around, and he urged critics to give the chief a chance.

"I don't think he's had a fair chance at managing the department the way he's wanted to," Holder said. "The test of whether he's a fit person to run the department starts about now."

Holder said that when Soulsby was tapped by Barry (D) to head the force in October 1995, he was faced with a dwindling staff, a shrinking budget and employees who tried to undermine him simply because they didn't want him to be chief.

"Now he has an opportunity to garner the necessary support and be an effective leader," Holder said. "About a month or so from now, you'll have a better idea of whether he will lead. I suspect people will be surprised."

A consulting firm this week recommended limiting Barry's influence over the police department, particularly in personnel hiring and firing. Under current D.C. law, the mayor has the final say in appointing or removing senior police officials. Even with a change in the law, he would retain the right to hire and fire the chief.

"I want to empower the chief," Barry said yesterday. Relinquishing power "is going to liberate me. All the buck passing and finger-pointing in terms of personnel will stop."

But he said he will be watching and will hold Soulsby accountable.

"If in a certain length of time Chief Soulsby has not reduced crime," he said, "I can ask to have a new chief. . . . If [he] can't get the force to do it, then you get a new chief."

The consulting firm, Booz, Allen & Hamilton, is conducting a top-to-bottom review of the department and made its preliminary recommendations this week. Its final report is due later this year.

Meanwhile, Soulsby said he plans to meet with his senior administrators in hopes of establishing a closer working relationship.

"I'm going to spend time on team-building and see who is willing to work as a team and build on joint efforts," Soulsby said. "I'm going to reach out and talk to them."

Several of his administrators, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Soulsby waited too long.

"Chief Soulsby is a nice fellow, but he has a problem with credibility, [he's] insecure," one administrator said. "He hasn't developed a relationship with any command personnel. The chief has to be connected with what's going on, and he's not, and that's not strong leadership."

Another senior police administrator agreed.

"There's not a lot of confidence, and morale is on the floor," the administrator said. "And the people who created the problems won't be the ones to solve them."

Soulsby said he's aware that some in the department don't like his style of leadership but said that won't stop him from making changes.

"I don't get upset when people criticize me," Soulsby said. "As long as you do the job I don't care what you think of me. I think we will have an outstanding department once again. We're going to be a leader in law enforcement."

Barry said that for now, he doesn't view Soulsby as the issue. He said he is more disturbed by some of the initial findings of the consultants.

For example, Barry said the consultants' study showed that 60 percent of the 3,500 officers on the force have second jobs that in some instances have become more important than their role as police officers. "That is wrong," Barry said.

The mayor also said the study revealed that the top priority for rank-and-file officers is pay, and for those with more seniority, it is promotions. Meanwhile, 15 percent to 20 percent of officers make 80 percent to 90 percent of the arrests.

The study also showed that only 16 percent of the officers on the force are assigned to patrol beats and that 68 percent of those on patrol spend their time responding to 911 emergency calls.

"There is a perception that the patrol division is a dumping ground," Barry said. "The patrol division ought to be the highest priority. It is the most dangerous part of the police department and requires the greatest skill."

In closed-door meetings with city officials this week, the consultants recommended changes in the way the police force tackles gang-related violence and open-air drug markets and said Soulsby needs greater flexibility to reassign officers than current work rules permit, sources said.

Control board Chairman Andrew F. Brimmer said a comprehensive new policing strategy will be unveiled Wednesday.

"It is going to be dramatic," Barry said.

The mayor also said he is convinced that despite the problems, there also are many dedicated officers on the D.C. police force. "I don't want to give the impression we have a department of nothing but goof-offs," Barry said. "There are some hard-working officers out here who put their lives on the line every day."

But crime remains a major problem in the city. From mid-November to mid-February, assaults are up 16 percent and burglaries in the city are up 13 percent. Despite some high-profile homicides, including the death of a police officer, homicides declined 23 percent during the period.

Metro Resource Director Margot Williams contributed to this report.