Crime & Safety
Robert Contee Approved By City Council As DC Police Chief
Robert Contee, a D.C. native, took over as acting chief in December 2020, when Peter Newsham left D.C. to serve as chief in Prince William.
WASHINGTON, DC — The D.C. Council on Tuesday voted to approve the nomination of Robert J. Contee III as the District’s new police chief.
Contee, a Washington native, took over as acting chief in December 2020, when Peter Newsham retired from the police department to take over as police chief in Prince William County.
The 48-year-old grew up in Northeast Washington’s Carver-Langston neighborhood and rose from the rank of cadet to lead the department of 3,600 officers.
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“With his community-based vision for policing & DC roots, we look forward to Chief Contee’s leadership while we serve and protect our city,” the Metropolitan Police Department tweeted Tuesday.
It’s official, Robert J. Contee, III, is confirmed as Chief of Police for the Metropolitan Police Department! With his community-based vision for policing & DC roots, we look forward to Chief Contee’s leadership while we serve and protect our city. #ExcellenceIsTransferrable pic.twitter.com/MkgKOXYvny
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) May 4, 2021
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser noted that Contee "was born and raised here.”
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“He is confident that MPD can lead the way and serve as a blueprint for a modern-day police department, a department that can be used in new and better ways to be reduced violent crime and continue to engage the community," Bowser said.
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