Nikki Lavenhouse was promoted to commander of the Fourth District in July 2023. Prior to her promotion, Lavenhouse served as inspector of the Special Operations Division (SOD).
Lavenhouse began her career with the Metropolitan Police Department in 2008 as an officer in the Seventh District. She spent three years patrolling and serving the Historic Anacostia community. She then became a Field Training Officer within the Seventh District, tasked with training and preparing new officers. During her time in the Seventh District, Lavenhouse was detailed to the paternity support unit, where she assisted in serving warrants, as well as to the Youth Investigations Division, Missing Persons Unit, where she assisted in locating missing juveniles.
In October of 2014, Lavenhouse was promoted to sergeant and was reassigned to the Sixth District. There she served as the Powershift sergeant, tasked with a focused mission of robbery and burglary prevention. In 2016 she was transferred to the Narcotics Enforcement Unit within the Narcotics and Special Investigations Division, where she led a team of fifteen officers conducting street level narcotics investigations. The team addressed drug complaints that were identified by the community and patrol members throughout the city. For their outstanding performance, the team was recognized by the Chief of Police and was presented with a Unit Citation Award and an Achievement Medal.
Lavenhouse was then promoted to lieutenant in October 2018 and served with the First District for five months before being assigned to the Seventh District in March of 2019. There she was tasked with managing the Crime Suppression Team as well as assisting with patrol and administrative operations.
In 2021, Lavenhouse was promoted to the rank of captain and subsequently transferred to Patrol Services South (PSS), where she served as the administrative manager to the Assistant Chief. In this role, Lavenhouse was responsible for the oversight and execution of the daily operations of the Bureau, which oversees and provides guidance to the First, Sixth, and Seventh Districts. Additionally, while serving in this position, she also served as the 2021 Fall Crime Initiative Captain in the Historic Anacostia area that borders the Sixth and Seventh Districts. During the Crime Prevention Initiative, Lavenhouse focused on reducing violent crime through strategic prevention and focused enforcement. Her team accomplished that task through focused law enforcement efforts, police visibility, strategic deployment of resources, as well as purposeful and sincere community engagement, all resulting in a decrease in crime overall.
In April 2022, Lavenhouse was transferred to the Special Operations Division where she was assigned as captain of the Tactical Patrol Branch, managing the Canine Patrol Unit, Traffic Safety and Specialized Enforcement Section, Harbor Patrol Unit, and the Air Support Unit. In July 2023, Acting Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith appointed Nikki Lavenhouse to the rank of commander.
Lavenhouse has received numerous awards and commendations during her career with Metropolitan Police Department, including Achievement Medals and Unit Citations. Lavenhouse graduated from Bowie State University.