Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.metro From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: 'Quick solutions never work' Date: Fri, 30 Oct 92 15:33:28 EST Message-ID: \SE B;METROPOLITAN \HD 'Quick solutions never work' \SH Departing Fulwood says love is answer \BY Brian Reilly and Margaret Rankin \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES Chief Isaac Fulwood Jr. used the eve of his departure as head of the Metropolitan Police force to appeal for District residents to look beyond tougher laws and bigger jails as solutions to the city's crime problem. "It is time for us to stop talking about different laws and more jails. It's time for us to start talking about loving one another," he said at a candlelight vigil for the victims of D.C crime. "Quick solutions never work and have never worked in the history of the world," he said. More than 250 people, nearly three-fourths of them friends or relatives of victims of violent crime, attended the spirited vigil at the Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast. The gathering was sponsored by the Police Chief's Youth Task Force, the chief's prized anti-crime program formed under his leadership. After the vigil the chief said today, the final day of his 28-year career with the department, "will be pretty lonely." "It will be a normal day for me with treacherous ups and downs and with tremendous love for the people I work with every day - the members of the Metropolitan Police Department." His spokesman said the timing of the chief's departure was linked to his commitment to the mayor's new program. "He's leaving because it's difficult to wear two hats - you can't be part-time chief of police and part-time head of the youth initiative," said Lt. Reginald Smith. The chief said last night he is stepping down now because he is "anxious" to move on and take charge of Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly's anti-crime youth initiative office. Most officials believe the chief simply felt the time was right to step down. "Things have been winding down here, and now he's all packed up and ready to go," said Capt. Rodney Monroe, commander of the department's Emergency Response Team as well as a close friend and former longtime aide to the chief. "The selection process [of the new chief] has taken longer than he expected," he said, adding he understands the chief would feel uncomfortable returning to work after his long-planned retirement dinner Saturday, Nov. 7. "Here he is getting ready to have this all-out bash, so . . . going back to work that Monday would, to me, be a little awkward." Chief Fulwood said during an emotional press conference last month he would stay on until his successor took over. At the time, however, it was believed a new chief would be selected by Oct. 15. But others speculated Chief Fulwood was reacting to pressure from Mayor Kelly and Capitol Hill politicians who attacked what they called his inability to stem the flow of random, violent crime into once peaceful city neighborhoods. Lt. Lowell Duckett, president of the D.C. Black Police Caucus, said the chief's hastened exit is the sequel to his tearful farewell address at Eastern High School Sept. 8. "I think he wanted to have more input into who will be the next chief but I think the mayor has denied that," said Lt. Duckett. Assistant Chief Addison Davis, who will take over as interim chief until a successor is named, said yesterday Chief Fulwood left without any bitterness or resentment. He said the department has been preparing him to take over for some time now and informed him officially last week. Chief Davis, 51, is a 29-year-veteran of the force who currently serves as head of the department's Administrative Services Bureau. He was promoted to that position in 1989 after commanding the department's equal employment opportunity office, the property division and the 5th District, which includes much of Northeast west of the Anacostia River. * Margaret Rankin contributed to this report. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM