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Re: “Fear factor 1: Police lose control of the streets,” July 23
Once again, I am disappointed that The Examiner would run a column that is this devoid of facts. Harry Jaffe says that internal discipline in the Metropolitan Police Department is up and the quality of our investigations is down. This is wholly untrue and I am happy to provide facts to refute these assertions.
We currently have the highest homicide closure rate we have seen in years. Last year, we closed 70 percent of cases. Our officers work day and night, quite often at the expense of spending time with their families and loved ones, to keep residents safe.
My officers are expected to perform their duties with the utmost diligence. We have put standards in place since the MOA with the Department of Justice that I believe make MPD one of the most accountable and professional police departments in the country. Disciplinary action is down from last year in virtually every category.
As a result of the drop in disciplinary numbers, there is greater enthusiasm across the department. When I attend roll calls and am on patrol, I see dedicated and professional police officers who make it their business to give District residents 110 percent all the time.
I wholly disagree that police service in the District is lacking. We not only are able to predict crime patterns, but in many instances are able to deploy resources to prevent criminal activity.
Of course, there is no one solution that will prevent all crime, but I am confident that we are doing everything possible to address and deter crime from every angle.
Furthermore, we are making great strides in our relationships with our federal law enforcement partners, such as the FBI and the U.S. Marshals [Service].
By working together, we have been able to maximize our resources for the benefit of the citizens of the District of Columbia. These partnerships also extend to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia to ensure that criminals are properly charged and prosecuted.
Chief Cathy Lanier
Metropolitan Police Department
Washington
Metro employees are not involved in farecard scam
Re: “Metro scam is worst kind, at worst time for agency,” editorial, July 23
The editorial against Metro is full of inaccuracies, the worst of which is the accusation that Metro employees are responsible for a counterfeit-farecard scam by stating that it “strongly suggests an inside job.” Shame on The Examiner!
Metro General Manager John Catoe and Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn specifically told reporters at a July 18 press conference that there was no evidence to suggest that employees were involved. When editorial writer Barbara Hollingsworth called Metro and asked one question: “Were employees involved?” she was specifically told that “there is absolutely no evidence” of employee involvement. So far, six people have been arrested by Transit Police. None of them are Metro employees. For The Examiner to make speculative allegations that Metro employees were involved demonstrates the highest level of irresponsibility on the part of the newspaper’s editors.
Where is their evidence to be making such accusations? There is none. Indeed, the paper’s reporter who covered the story reported the facts. But that didn’t stop the paper’s editors from taking its cheap shots.
Should the police investigation determine that Metro employees were involved, we’ll make that public, just as we informed the public that a scheme existed in the first place. But at this point, there is no evidence to suggest employees had anything to do with it.
Mr. Catoe did not “hint that the counterfeiters may have had access to the same kind of software used to read legitimate farecards” as the paper falsely claimed. He said that other transit agencies around the country might be at risk of the same type of scheme because they use similar farecard machines, and he took the responsible step of alerting transit agencies of the scam. It has always been Metro’s practice to encourage customers to buy farecards from legitimate vendors.
The paper’s statement that “Catoe’s predecessor was forced out after it was reported that Metro parking lot attendants had pocketed more than $1 million” is also wrong. A 2003 audit of the parking lot theft found $29,738 in lost revenue at four stations over 48 days. The report speculated that there could have possibly been as high as $500,000 to $1 million annually if the theft was systemwide. However, there was no evidence of that.
Richard White stepped down as general manager of Metro almost two years after the parking lot theft became public. His departure was not related to the parking lot thefts. The editorial also alleged that Mr. Catoe’s decision not to attend a national transportation leadership conference and instead remain in town to oversee and develop action steps to respond to the discovery of the counterfeit scheme implied that the problem “may be a lot more extensive.” The paper instead should have applauded Mr. Catoe’s decision to remain in town and demonstrate strong leadership. Surely had he decided to take his trip, the paper would have ridiculed him for being absent.
In the future, The Examiner should stick to the facts. Metro officials discovered a counterfeit farecard scam. They wasted no time and arrested six people within days of discovering the fraud, developing strong action steps and holding a press conference to let the public know about the situation.
Spokeswoman,
Washington Metropolitan Area
Transit Authority
McCain campaign should stop whining
Re: “Networks are groupies for Obama candidacy,” from readers, July 22 & “Is media playing fair in campaign coverage?” July 21
This is just whining. Sen. John McCain got full network campaign coverage during his previous tour of the major war fronts. He will go on another fact-finding tour — and get full network coverage again — after Sen. Barack Obama completes his own fact-finding tour.
“World News” Executive Producer John Banner was quoted in the July 22 Examiner as saying: “We have already been in discussions with the McCain campaign to try to afford them the same or similar opportunity.” He added, “We have gone to great lengths to be fair and provide equal time to both campaigns.”
Sen. McCain has criticized Sen. Obama for his lack of foreign policy experience, so it is only fair that the networks cover Obama’s trip.
Cargill Kelly
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