Council of the District of Columbia
NEWS RELEASE
One Judiciary Square
441 Fourth Street N.W
Washington, D.C. 20001
FOR IMMEDIATE
JANUARY 15, 1998
CONTACT: COUNCILMEMBER EVANS 724-8058
COUNCILMEMBER PATTERSON 724-8062
Bob Hainey 724 8161
MARK TUOHEY TO LEAD COUNCIL'S POLICE INQUIRY
Chairman Linda W. Cropp, and Councilmembers Jack Evans and Kathy Patterson announce
that former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark H. Tuohey will lead the Council's police inquiry.
Mr. Tuohey will serve as special counsel to the Council's Special Committee on Police
Misconduct and Personnel Management. Tuohey, a former deputy independent counsel for the
Whitewater investigation, is a partner at Vinson & Elkins. His law firm will provide a
team of attorneys, paralegals and investigators to help conduct the Council's inquiry.
Tuohey is also a former president of the D.C. Bar and a longtime resident of Ward 4.
Chairman Cropp says, "Mark Tuohey brings the skill and professionalism needed for
the Council's oversight to be productive." Special Committee co-chair lack Evans who
also chaws the Council Judiciary Committee says, ''We're delighted to have Mark on board
as special counsel. His extensive law enforcement background plus his strong commitment to
the District of Columbia will produce a hard-hitting and professional investigation. It
will contribute in a major way to improving the operations of the police department."
Kathy Patterson, the other Special Committee co-chair, adds that Tuohey's background in
the U.S. Attorney's office signals the Council's commitment to work closely with other MPD
investigations. "Mark arid his team will work cooperatively with the incoming and
acting U.S. Attorneys, and with the soon-to-be Inspector General, W. Barnett Prettyman, in
their respective inquiries," Patterson said.
The Council investigation, authorized
by the Council on December 16, will focus on policy and management issues. These
issues include personnel standards and treatment of whistleblowers, processes used to
report and investigate misconduct, policies on eligibility for pensions, and deficiencies
in administrative and record keeping practices. The investigation will follow up
allegations made during four hearings last year before the Council's Judiciary Committee
and its Committee on Government Operations chaired by Councilmember Patterson. The 6-month
investigation will begin immediately.
Back to top of page
Remarks by Chairman Linda Cropp on Naming Mark
Tuohey Special Counsel
Good afternoon. I would like to thank my colleagues on the Council, Judiciary Chairman
Jack Evans, Government Operations Chairman Kathy Patterson (others present) for joining me
at this news conference. We are here today to introduce the person chosen by the Council
to lead its inquiry into alleged misconduct chosen by the Council to lead its inquiry into
alleged misconduct in the Metropolitan Police Department. As you know, last year the
Council held several hearings that uncovered several allegations of misconduct in various
areas of the Metropolitan Police Department including the falsifying of time sheets and
alleged harassment of the people who tried to report the incidents to their supervisors.
Over the past weeks, these allegations along with the resignation of Police Chief Larry
Soulsby have lowered the morale of the men and women who each and every day put their
lives on the line to protect this city. The allegations have also gone a long way in
diminishing the faith of District citizens in their police department.
Today the Council is taking an aggressive first step toward [sic] in getting to the
bottom of these charges. It is the Council's goal to uncover any wrongdoing and make sure
those responsible are punished. In turn we also hope to restore the public's faith in
their law officers and lift the morale of the Metropolitan Police Force by weeding out
those on the force whose actions tar the reputations of their honest and hard working
colleagues. |
