The Power of Community Policing

In her 26-year law enforcement career, Cathy Lanier rose through the ranks of the Washington, D.C. police force with the goal of changing the city’s image as “the murder capital of the world.” Promoted to Chief in 2007, she spent nearly a decade creating a legacy of community engagement – years that saw a 23% drop in violent crime and a homicide rate that hit a 50-year low in 2012. Here, she shares how she led the department to this success and a restoration of community faith in policing.