DC Police Chief Sticks to AHOD Plan, Despite Ruling

Police chief insists program is successful

By ASHA BEH

Updated 3:45 PM EST, Sat, Nov 14, 2009

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Two men were shot and one man was killed early Saturday morning as DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier's controversial All Hands on Deck (AHOD) crime-fighting program continued.

In spite of a ruling by a federal arbitrator saying the program violates the police union contract and city law, this weekend's AHOD initiative kicked off in Northeast on Friday at 6 a.m. Close to two dozen police academy recruits walked the streets to, as Lanier told the Washington Post, "be a part of the community and help prevent crime."

The police union filed grievances against the department, arguing that to accommodate the special deployments, it changed work schedules without negotiation, which is a collective bargaining violation, the Post reported.

The police department filed an appeal, but arbitrator John Truesdale's decision was upheld. Now the department is appealing to the D.C. Public Employee Relations Board -- and while it does, Lanier is clear to go ahead with the 'All Hands' program, according to DC Mayor Adrian Fenty and the city's attorneys.

But Kris Baumann, chairman of Fraternal Order of Police D.C. Lodge 1, which filed the grievances, said that the chief and mayor's actions were a flagrant disregard for the arbitrator's ruling, according to the Post.

One of the shootings this morning happened near 16th and V Streets SE around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Police said the victim, who died, had multiple gunshot wounds, but have not released any information on the suspects or a motive.

The second shooting happened at 4th and Aspen Streets NW, when an officer fired at two suspects. Police said no one was hurt. They are still looking for the suspects.