Metropolitan Police Department: Chief Ramsey Welcomes Newest Recruit Graduates to MPDC-Page 1

Chief Charles H. Ramsey delivered the following statement to Recruit Class 2001-4 at the Voice of America, 330 Independence Ave., SW, on May 31, 2002.

To the members of Recruit Class 2001-4 --to the newest members of the Metropolitan Police Department -- I say "welcome." Welcome to the best, most exciting, most rewarding profession there is - the profession of policing. And welcome to the finest, proudest, most progressive and forward-moving police department I know of - the Metropolitan Police Department.

I want each of you to stop for a moment and consider just what you have accomplished in being here today. Consider that literally thousands of individuals dream of becoming Metropolitan Police officers ... and several hundred apply each year to join our force.Only a handful of these people are able to pass all of the entrance examinations and meet the high standards we set for even getting into our Training Academy. And during their long weeks of training, some recruits invariably drop out ... because they have trouble meeting our exacting standards for physical conditioning, academic excellence and specialized skills. So out of the many who dream about one day sitting where each of you now sits, and pinning on the badge that each of you will pin on in a few minutes ... only an elite few possess the talent, the desire, the motivation and the perseverance to make that dream a reality. Today, I am very proud of what each and every one of you has achieved in reaching this first step in your law enforcement career. And I look forward to continued success and even greater achievements from you in the future.

As you well know, the Metropolitan Police Department is always in the spotlight - and, as a result, the individual members of our Department are in the spotlight as well. You have no doubt seen myself, Chief Gainer and Command officials interviewed over the past year about any number of high-profile incidents - whether it is the Chandra Levy murder investigation … the terrorist attacks of September 11th … the anti-globalization protests against the IMF and World Bank … or any number of other incidents that attract local, national and even international media attention. The news reporters may be interviewing us, but the world is watching all of you. You need to remember that. And you need to carry yourself with the dignity and pride and professionalism that have come to define our Department. But as high-profile as some of these situations may be --and as bright as the media spotlight may seem at times--I want to remind all of you of something very important.

To the people who matter the most, the residents, workers and visitors in our city, you will be judged not on how swiftly or adeptly our Department solves the Chandra Levy homicide or deals with anti-globalization protesters. You will be judged on how well you serve their communities - how visible and helpful and accessible you are to them … how seriously and compassionately you listen to their concerns … and how energetically and effectively you respond during times of need.

This past Wednesday evening, there was a citywide memorial service for homicide victims and their survivors, at the Shiloh Baptist Church in the Shaw community. I was unable to attend the service. Assistant Chief Brian Jordan represented our agency. And Chief Jordan reported back to me something that wasn't unexpected, but is still very telling. With all the media attention being paid to the Chandra Levy case --with the wall-to-wall coverage from TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet--the dozens and dozens of survivors at Wednesday's service were left asking a simple question - What about my case? What about my loved one? Why doesn't the world seem to care about me?