Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier’s decision to demote a controversial police commander in an East-of-the-River district has quickly become one of the pressing political questions in the city. Lanier demoted Robin Hoey to captain and transferred him out of the 6th Police District late last month. Since then, residents in the Northeast neighborhoods where Hoey’s team patrolled have increased their demands for an explanation.
Residents on Thursday rallied outside the 6th District station on 42nd Street Northeast and also sat in on a town meeting Lanier held in Northwest to pepper her with questions about the demotion.
The protesters have received a public boost from two of the neighborhood’s leading politicians, District Council Chair Vincent Gray and newly elected Ward 7 Council Member Yvette Alexander.
“[Hoey] was very proactive in terms of deployment of police officers,” Alexander told The Examiner on Thursday. “He was very active in the community.”
Gray’s spokeswoman said he was disappointed with the demotion. While campaigning for council chair last summer, Gray hailed Hoey and said he might be a good fit as police chief.
Alexander said she will meet with Phil Mendelson, D-at large, chair of the council’s public safety committee, to discuss the possibility of hearings on the demotion.
Lanier’s spokeswoman did not return calls seeking comment.
Hoey has a long record of complaints — from bullying to sexual harassment — from those who work for him.
Hoey, who has denied the allegations made in those complaints, has attributed his demotion to the fact that Lanier “doesn’t like me.”
On Thursday, he also denied reports that he was ordered to a clinic after a confrontation with the chief over his demotion.
Lanier once successfully sued the police department for sexual harassment.
Police union chair Kristopher K. Baumann said Hoey’s biggest focus was on public relations, not on public safety. “The 6th District is about 20 percent understaffed on patrol,” Baumann said. “Consistently, there are only two or three officers on patrol, and they’ve got 20, 30 radio runs waiting. What people need is real public safety, not the appearance of public safety.”
