On September 23rd, 2007, Chief of Police Cathy L. Lanier restructured the Metropolitan Police Department abolishing the Regional Operations Commands North, Central, and East, the Operational Support Command, and the Office of Youth Education and Violence Prevention, and reassigning many of their functions to the newly created Patrol Services and School Security Bureau headed by Assistant Chief of Police Diane Groomes. The restructuring effectively streamlines the MPD, reducing the hierarchy of the Department, and creating an efficient, practicable and highly functional command structure, which will improve the level of police service to residents in each of the District’s neighborhoods.
The Patrol Services and School Security Bureau is now home to the entire branch of the MPD assigned to Patrol, the Patrol Support Division, the Nighthawk Operations, the School Security Division, and the Community Services and Youth Outreach Division. The Bureau remains committed to the Mission of the Metropolitan Police Department and to continuing to work “…to safeguard the District of Columbia and protect its residents and visitors by providing the highest quality of police service with integrity and compassion as well as a commitment to innovation that integrates people, technology and progressive business systems.”
Additionally, Chief Lanier has charged the Patrol Services and School Security Bureau and the entire Department in her Guiding Principles with changing the culture of the MPD from reacting to crime to building and sustaining safe neighborhoods; with reducing crime and the fear of crime in the community; with making the relationship between police and neighborhoods paramount – tailoring policing to neighborhoods; with focusing on how the Department can address youth issues; with enhancing follow up in all aspects of the Department to meet community needs; with encouraging teamwork and leadership at every level of the police department and throughout the community; and with building on programs and services in the Department that are already successful.
Assistant Chief Groomes brings immense energy to the Patrol Services and School Security Bureau. She began her career in 1990 as a patrol officer, and is well-known and respected throughout the District as one of the most responsive and hard working members of MPD with outstanding success in crime reduction, award winning PSA management and exceptional community relations. Assistant Chief Groomes has extensive goals for her bureau, citing a focus on accessibility, responsiveness, visibility and accountability to all communities in Washington, DC. She believes the Bureau needs to get back to some basics: redeploying foot patrols, and improving communication in meetings and at events in a proactive and preventative fashion. Additionally, Assistant Chief Groomes intends to “get progressive” by providing outreach to those in need, partnering with organizations and citizens in the community that work to prevent crime and violence, and deploying additional officers into the schools, recreation centers and Boys and Girls Clubs.
The Patrol Services and School Security Bureau is located at 801 Shepard Street, NW and can be reached by telephone at (202) 576-6600. For more information, please visit the Department’s website at: mpdc.dc.gov.
The Patrol Services and School Security Bureau Command Staff for the Seven Districts include:
Executive Officer
Commander Melvin Scott will serve as the Executive Officer of the Patrol Services and School Security Bureau. Commander Scott began his career with the MPD in 1981, and he has worked in virtually every branch of the MPD throughout his tenure in the Department with remarkable success in homicide closures, crime reduction, PSA management and community relations.
First District
Commander David Kamperin began his career in 1985 as a patrol officer in the Third District. During his tenure with the Department, Commander Kamperin has worked in four of the seven police districts, the Special Operations Division, the Homicide Branch and the Training Academy. Prior to his promotion, Commander Kamperin served as the Commanding Officer of the Special Tactics Branch of the Homeland Security and Special Operations Division leading the Emergency Response Team and the Canine Corps.
First District
Substation
Inspector George Kucik began his career in 1988 as a patrol officer in the Fifth District. Commander Kucik was instrumental in drafting the Department’s first standard operating procedure (SOP) for homicide investigations, which is used by the Department today. He also oversaw the centralization of crime scene technicians and updated their SOPs to be in line with current technology and best practices while assigned to the Forensic Science Division.
Second District
Commander Andrew Solberg began his career in 1986 as a patrol officer in the Third District. Commander Solberg has steadily worked his way through the ranks serving the Department in a variety of capacities including as the Sixth District’s Midnight Watch Commander, as the Commander of the Detectives’ Office, as Captain in the Fourth District and as an Inspector at the First District Substation. Commander Solberg was promoted to Commander of the Second District on September 17, 2006.
Third District
Commander Larry McCoy began his career in 1978 and was first assigned to the Seventh District. Commander McCoy has served the MPD in a variety of capacities including as an Officer with the Seventh District’s Auto Theft Unit, as a Lieutenant in the Special Operations Division’s elite Emergency Response Team (ERT), and as a Captain in the Special Operations Division – Special Events Branch. Commander McCoy has served as Commander of the Third District since June 1, 2003.
Third District
Substation
Inspector Linda Brown began her career in 1988 as a patrol officer in the Third District. Inspector Brown has served as sergeant in the Fourth District, as lieutenant in the Fifth and Seventh Districts, and as captain in the Fifth District. She has also served as the Director of the Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Clubs and the Civil Disturbance Unit Commander in the Fifth District.
Fourth District
Commander Hilton Burton began his career in 1990 as a patrol officer in the First District. He has also served the Department as a sergeant in the Third District, as a lieutenant in the Maurice T. Turner, Jr. Institute for Police Science and in the Fourth District. Commander Burton later served as a captain in the Fifth District and inspector in command of the Narcotics Branch.
Fifth District
Commander Lamar Greene offers more than a decade of experience and accomplishment in law enforcement, beginning his career as a patrol officer in the Fifth District. He was a key contributor in the establishment of the MPD’s community policing efforts as they are known today. Additionally, Commander Greene supervised one of the first community policing beat pilot projects, which led to the development of Police Service Areas.
Sixth District
Commander Robert Contee began his career in 1989 as a patrol officer in the Third District. Commander Contee has served in a variety of assignments throughout his career including as a sergeant at the Training Academy, as a lieutenant in the Second District, Regional Operations Command – East, and in the Intelligence Branch. He has also served as captain in charge of the Violent Crimes Branch.
Sixth District
Substation
Inspector Kevin Anderson began his career in 1985 as a patrol officer in the Fourth District. As an officer, Inspector Anderson was instrumental as the Department transitioned to the Glock Service Weapon. In 2004, the Recruiting Branch, under the leadership of Inspector Anderson, achieved the monumental goal of bringing the Department to its authorized strength of 3,800 members. Inspector Anderson has worked in three of the Department’s seven districts and also served as the Director of the School Safety Division’s School Resource Officers.
Seventh District
Commander Joel Maupin began his career in 1983 as a patrol officer assigned to the Seventh District. Commander Maupin has served the Department in four of the seven districts, in Criminal Investigations, Youth and Preventive Services Division, and the Communications Division. He has also served as the deputy director of the Maurice T. Turner, Jr. Institute of Police Science, and inspector at the Sixth District Substation.
Nighthawk Operations
Commander Willie Dandridge has served in a number of assignments involving patrol duties and criminal investigations since joining the MPD in 1985. In 1999, Commander Dandridge provided leadership for the Violent Crimes Unit in the Seventh District, which achieved the highest closure rate for homicides, AWIKs and sex offenses that year. He has also served as captain and commander of the Sixth District. Most recently, Commander Dandridge served as the head of Regional Operations Command – East.
Community Services and Youth Outreach Division
Commander Alton M. Bigelow began his career with MPD in 1982 as a Third District foot patrolman and scout car officer. A native Washingtonian, Commander Bigelow most recently served the Department as head of the Office of Youth Education and Violence Prevention where he established protocols to create best practice programs and provide essential resources to achieve high standards of operation for safe school environments. Commander Bigelow has also worked in the First, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Districts, the Criminal Investigations Division – Robbery Branch, the Special Investigation Division – Homicide Branch, and the Special Operations Division.
School Security
Division
Commander Cheryl Pendergast began
her career in 1981 as a patrol officer in the First District. Commander Pendergast
has served in four of the seven districts, Special Operations Division,
Executive Protection Unit, Medical Services Division, and Criminal
Investigations Division. She has also served as the Director of the Maurice T.
Turner Jr., Institute of Police Science.