16 ROGUES IN 15 MONTHS

OUR REACTION to the recent report of 16 criminal convictions of District
police officers in the past 15 months is "good riddance." Those results
mean there are 16 fewer members of the Metropolitan Police Department who
are sullying their own badges, tarnishing the reputations of their fellow
officers and posing a serious threat to public safety. The report also
suggests that the police department leadership seems determined to clean
house of officers who are abusing their powers.

There is, however, an ominous dimension to these convictions that should
stop District residents in their tracks. These convictions, which are
occurring at a record rate, are not limited to the kind of offenses
frequently associated with police wrongdoing: official misconduct, bribery,
dereliction of duty or the use of excessive force. Post staff writer Neely
Tucker reports that 13 of the officers convicted of crimes in 1999 were
found guilty of such felonies as kidnapping, perjury and sexual assault. In
the most recent case, last month, Officer Derrick Brown was convicted of
sexual assault in two separate attacks, including one against a 14-year-old
girl. He was the third officer convicted thus far in 2000, and the year
isn't half over.

The malignancy may not stop there. Seven other police officers are also
facing felony charges. One of them is believed by prosecutors to have
warned a major D.C. drug ring about police patrols and undercover
operations. The same officer is also charged with lying to a federal grand
jury, urging his fellow police officers to ignore the gang's drug dealing
and conspiring with drug traffickers to buy and sell drugs himself. Any
police misconduct is unacceptable, but drug, sex and kidnapping felonies by
police officers are simply beyond the pale.

The encouraging news in this disturbing story is that most of the cases are
being made by the police department. That speaks well of Police Chief
Charles Ramsey's efforts to upgrade the department's internal affairs
division. The unit, which is being doubled in size to 60 officers, is now
headed by an assistant chief. To stress IAD's autonomy and to make the unit
more accessible, discreet and effective, internal affairs officers will
operate in the field, away from downtown headquarters.

"This is a cancer-ridding" exercise, Executive Assistant Chief Terrance
Gainer said last week. For the sake of the 3,512 D.C. police officers who
are doing a good job, and a public that depends on the men and women in
blue, here's hoping the operation is successful.