Charles H. Ramsey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chuck Ramsey
Born	1950 (age 74–75) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Relatives	Anne Ramsey (Aunt)
Police career
Department	Philadelphia Police Department DC Metropolitan Police Department Chicago Police Department
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	City of Philadelphia District of Columbia City of Chicago, and Fairfax County Virginia
Years of service	1971-1998 1998-2007 2008-2016
Rank	- Police Commissioner, Philadelphia Police Department January 7, 2008 - January 5, 2016 (retirement) - Chief of Police, Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia April 21, 1998 - January 2, 2007 Chicago Police Department - Deputy Superintendent, 1994 - 1998 - Deputy Chief, Patrol Division 1992 - 1994 - Commander, ... Division 1989 - 1992 - Captain 1988 - 1989 - Lieutenant 1984 - 1988 - Sergeant 1977 - 1984 Patrol Officer 1971 - 1977

Charles H. Ramsey (born in 1950) is a well-known American law enforcement officer. He served as the Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department. Before that, he was the Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia (MPDC). He worked there from 1998 to 2007. After retiring from police work, he became a regular contributor for CNN in 2017.

Ramsey grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He started his police career at age 18 in 1968. He joined the Chicago Police Department as a cadet. After six years as a patrol officer, he was promoted to sergeant in 1977. He continued to rise through the ranks. He became a lieutenant in 1984 and a captain in 1988. ..... Then he spent two years as a Deputy Chief of the Patrol Division. In 1994, he was appointed Deputy Superintendent.

In 1998, Ramsey became the MPDC chief in Washington, D.C.. He was involved in some important cases during his time there. These included the investigation into the disappearance of Chandra Levy. He also played a key role in security after the September 11 attacks. These attacks brought a lot of attention to safety around Washington, D.C.

Ramsey is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois. He has also taught as a professor at Lewis University and Northwestern University. Ramsey was a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council.

Leading the Washington, D.C. Police Department

Charles Ramsey served as the Chief of Police for eight years. During his time, crime rates in Washington, D.C. dropped by about 40%. He also expanded community policing programs. These programs help police work closely with local neighborhoods. Traffic safety programs also grew under his leadership.

Ramsey improved how the MPDC found and hired new officers. He also made training better. The department got improved equipment and facilities. He reorganized the department to make it more efficient. He created special commands to oversee police services. He also helped create a non-emergency 3-1-1 system. This system helps people report non-urgent issues. He made crime information available to the public online.

His department helped the Department of Homeland Security. They assisted during the state funerals of former presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford. Chief Ramsey also often spoke at the MPD's DC Police Leadership Academy.

Important Events During His Leadership

During Ramsey's time, the D.C. police used traffic checkpoints. Information about drivers was sometimes collected. This was done even if drivers were not breaking any laws. Some people felt this was an invasion of privacy.

In 2002, a group of demonstrators gathered in Pershing Park. They were protesting meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The police arrested over 400 people in the park. Many arrested were not protesters. They included journalists and people just passing by. Later, a court ruled that these arrests were not lawful. The city of Washington agreed to pay money to many of those who were arrested.

Retirement from D.C. Police

On November 20, 2006, Ramsey announced he would leave his role. His last day as police chief was January 2, 2007. This was the day the new Mayor of Washington, D.C., Adrian M. Fenty, took office. Mayor Fenty chose Cathy Lanier to replace Ramsey. She was a commander in the MPDC's Homeland Security Division.

Ramsey's official last day was December 28, 2006. However, he stayed until January 2, 2007. He helped with security during the state funeral of former president Gerald Ford.

Becoming Philadelphia Police Commissioner

On November 15, 2007, Michael Nutter, the new Mayor of Philadelphia, chose Ramsey. He nominated Ramsey to be the city's Police Commissioner. Ramsey came out of retirement to take this important job. He was sworn in on January 7, 2008. This was the start of Mayor Nutter's term.

After Ramsey became Commissioner, crime rates in Philadelphia dropped. The city's homicide rate went down by 37%. Violent crime decreased by 31%. In the nine most dangerous areas, homicides dropped by over 40%. These areas accounted for most of the city's serious crimes.

Ramsey used several strategies to reduce crime. He installed a network of surveillance cameras in high-crime areas. He also increased the number of police officers walking or biking patrols. This meant more officers were visible in neighborhoods. In 2014, President Obama chose Ramsey for a special role. He became co-chair of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Ramsey also led the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). He also served as President of the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA).

On October 14, 2015, Ramsey announced his retirement. He left the Philadelphia Police Department on January 5, 2016.

Images for kids

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  Police Commissioner rank insignia

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