Lanier Bats Down N.Y. Paper's Claim That She's Being Considered for an NYC Job

Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier was quick Thursday to bat down a mention in the New York Daily News that she was being considered as a candidate to replace New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.

The reference to Lanier was made in the last paragraph of a story speculating who Bill De Blasio, New York's mayor-elect, would choose to replace Kelly. Kelly's support of so-called stop-and-frisk policing was a major issue in the election.

Lanier told News4 that she was happy running D.C.'s Metropolitan Police and had no interest in a NYC job.

The Daily News said:

A law enforcement source told The News that Washington Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lynn Lanier was among those contacted about Kelly’s job. D.C.’s top cop was the public face of the department during the Sept. 16 Navy Yard shooting that left 13 dead. She has been credited with managing crime through community relations. De Blasio’s team refused to comment.

The NYC job is probably one of the nation's toughest police gigs, particularly given the big role that policing had in the race. Progressive democrat De Blasio attacked stop and frisk while his opponent, republican Joe Lhota, defended it and Kelly.

Lanier herself has said stop and frisk probably helped reduce crime but became a less acceptable police tactic as communities in New York City became safer.

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