Charles H. Ramsey
Encyclopedia
Charles H. Ramsey is the Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department
. Prior to assuming that post in January 2008, he had served as Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia
(MPDC) from 1998 to 2006.
A native of Chicago
, Illinois
, he joined the Chicago Police Department
as an 18-year-old cadet in 1968. After serving six years as a patrol officer, he was promoted to sergeant
in 1977. He was appointed a lieutenant in 1984 and became captain in 1988. He served as Commander of the Narcotics Section from 1989 to 1992 before spending two years as a Deputy Chief of the police force's Patrol Division. In 1994, he was appointed Deputy Superintendent.
In 1998, he became the MPDC chief. He has been involved in several high-profile cases as chief of police in America's capital city, such as the Chandra Levy
murder investigation. He has also been in the spotlight since the September 11 attacks focused attention on security issues around Washington, D.C.
Ramsey is a graduate of the FBI National Academy
and holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Lewis University
in Romeoville, Illinois
.
He has served as an adjunct professor at Lewis University and Northwestern University
.
He and his department assisted the Department of Homeland Security
during the state funeral of Ronald Reagan
.
of a large group of demonstrators who had assembled in DC's Pershing Park to protest the World Bank
and IMF
meetings. The police enclosed over 400 people in the park and arrested them without ordering them to disperse or allowing them to leave the park. Many of the arrested were not actually demonstrators, but were journalists, legal observers, and pedestrians.
On January 13, 2006, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals
ruled that the arrests violated the Fourth Amendment and that Chief Ramsey could be held personally liable for the violations. On August 2, 2007, City officials in Washington agreed to pay $1 million to more than 120 of the protesters, on top of other settlements by the D.C. government, including one for $640,000.
According to testimony given by Detective Paul Hustler, Ramsey himself gave the arrest order, although he has repeatedly denied this. Hustler claims he overheard Ramsey say "We're going to lock them up and teach them a lesson."
-Elect Adrian M. Fenty. Fenty selected Cathy Lanier, a 39-year-old commander of the MPDC's Homeland Security Division, as his replacement.
Even though Ramsey's official last day was December 28, 2006, he stayed on until January 2, to deal with security during the state funeral of former president Gerald Ford
.
There also is a dispute about Ramsey's pension between the District of Columbia Government and the D.C. Council.
Since Commissioner Ramsey assumed his position, the city's homicide rate has dropped 20 percent. In the city's nine most dangerous precincts, which account for 65% of homicides and 75% of shootings, homicides are down by over 40 percent. Ramsey's tactics have included installing a network of surveillance cameras in the city's most dangerous sections, increasing the number of cops on the beat, and moving police patrols out of their squad cars and onto foot patrols or bicycle patrols.
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Philadelphia Police Department
The Philadelphia Police Department is the police agency responsible for law enforcement and investigations within the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
. Prior to assuming that post in January 2008, he had served as Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia
Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia
The Metropolitan Police Department, also known as the DC Police, DCPD, MPD, and MPDC is the municipal police force in Washington, D.C...
(MPDC) from 1998 to 2006.
A native of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, he joined the Chicago Police Department
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
as an 18-year-old cadet in 1968. After serving six years as a patrol officer, he was promoted to sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in 1977. He was appointed a lieutenant in 1984 and became captain in 1988. He served as Commander of the Narcotics Section from 1989 to 1992 before spending two years as a Deputy Chief of the police force's Patrol Division. In 1994, he was appointed Deputy Superintendent.
In 1998, he became the MPDC chief. He has been involved in several high-profile cases as chief of police in America's capital city, such as the Chandra Levy
Chandra Levy
Chandra Ann Levy was an American intern at the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington, D.C., who disappeared in May 2001. She was presumed murdered after her skeletal remains were found in Rock Creek Park in May 2002...
murder investigation. He has also been in the spotlight since the September 11 attacks focused attention on security issues around Washington, D.C.
Ramsey is a graduate of the FBI National Academy
FBI National Academy
The FBI National Academy is an independent program for U.S. and international law enforcement leaders. The first session began on July 29, 1935, with 23 students in attendance. At the time, professional development for law enforcement leaders was largely non-existent. The program focuses on...
and holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Lewis University
Lewis University
Lewis University is a private Roman Catholic and Lasallian university located in Romeoville, Illinois, United States . The enrollment is currently around 6,800 students...
in Romeoville, Illinois
Romeoville, Illinois
Romeoville is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,153 at the 2000 census. As of 2006 the population has grown to 36,837. It is located in the southwest suburban area of Chicago near the newly constructed I-355 extension south from the Stevenson Expressway to I-80...
.
He has served as an adjunct professor at Lewis University and Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
.
Career as Washington, D.C. police chief
Ramsey's six-year tenure as commissioner saw crime rates decline about 40%, the expansion of community policing and traffic safety programs, and improved MPDC recruiting and hiring standards, training, equipment, facilities and fleet. He reorganized the department to cut bureaucracy, and created Regional Operations Commands to oversee the quality of D.C. police services. He helped to create a non-emergency 3-1-1 system and made crime information readily available to the public through CrimeReports.com.He and his department assisted the Department of Homeland Security
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
during the state funeral of Ronald Reagan
Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan
On June 5, 2004, Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, died after having suffered from Alzheimer's disease for nearly a decade. His seven-day state funeral followed, spanning June 5–11...
.
Traffic checkpoints
Under Ramsey, the D.C, police instituted traffic checkpoints at which information about motorists who were breaking no law at the time was entered into a database. The move was called an "invasion of privacy" by an official of the police union.Pershing Park arrests
On September 27, 2002, the MPD made a mass arrestMass arrest
A mass arrest occurs when the police apprehend large numbers of suspects at once. This sometimes occurs at illegal protests. Some mass arrests are also used in an effort combat gang activity. This is sometimes controversial, and lawsuits sometimes result...
of a large group of demonstrators who had assembled in DC's Pershing Park to protest the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
and IMF
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
meetings. The police enclosed over 400 people in the park and arrested them without ordering them to disperse or allowing them to leave the park. Many of the arrested were not actually demonstrators, but were journalists, legal observers, and pedestrians.
On January 13, 2006, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals is the highest court of the District of Columbia. Established by the United States Congress in 1970, it is equivalent to a state supreme court, except that its power derives from Article I of the U.S. Constitution rather than from the inherent sovereignty...
ruled that the arrests violated the Fourth Amendment and that Chief Ramsey could be held personally liable for the violations. On August 2, 2007, City officials in Washington agreed to pay $1 million to more than 120 of the protesters, on top of other settlements by the D.C. government, including one for $640,000.
According to testimony given by Detective Paul Hustler, Ramsey himself gave the arrest order, although he has repeatedly denied this. Hustler claims he overheard Ramsey say "We're going to lock them up and teach them a lesson."
Resignation in D.C.
On November 20, 2006, Ramsey announced that he would step down as police chief on January 2, 2007, the inauguration day of DC MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
-Elect Adrian M. Fenty. Fenty selected Cathy Lanier, a 39-year-old commander of the MPDC's Homeland Security Division, as his replacement.
Even though Ramsey's official last day was December 28, 2006, he stayed on until January 2, to deal with security during the state funeral of former president Gerald Ford
Death and state funeral of Gerald Ford
On December 26, 2006, Gerald Ford, the 38th President of the United States, died at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, at 6:45 p.m. local time . At 8:49 p.m...
.
There also is a dispute about Ramsey's pension between the District of Columbia Government and the D.C. Council.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner
On November 15, 2007, Philadelphia Mayor Elect Michael Nutter nominated Ramsey as Police Commissioner. Ramsey came out of retirement to accept the position, and he was officially sworn in at the beginning of Nutter's term as Mayor on January 7, 2008.Since Commissioner Ramsey assumed his position, the city's homicide rate has dropped 20 percent. In the city's nine most dangerous precincts, which account for 65% of homicides and 75% of shootings, homicides are down by over 40 percent. Ramsey's tactics have included installing a network of surveillance cameras in the city's most dangerous sections, increasing the number of cops on the beat, and moving police patrols out of their squad cars and onto foot patrols or bicycle patrols.
External links
- Voices on Antisemitism Interview with Charles H. Ramsey from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial MuseumUnited States Holocaust Memorial MuseumThe United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is the United States' official memorial to the Holocaust. Adjacent to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the USHMM provides for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history...
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