By Steve Neavling
Washington D.C. Police Chief Robert J. Contee III is retiring after 30 years with the department to take a job as assistant director with the FBI.
Contee made the announcement Wednesday.
“I have decided that after serving this agency for over 30 years that it is time for me to retire from the Metropolitan Police Department,” Contee said in a video statement. “I will tell you that it has been my greatest honor to serve as your chief of police since January 2 of 2021.”
He added in a written statement, “Director Christopher Wray of the FBI has appointed me as assistant director of the FBI and I will be moving on to a new opportunity that I am very excited about. In this new opportunity, I will have the privilege of working with law enforcement agencies all across our nation as assistant director of the office of partner engagement.”
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser congratulated Contee in a statement.
“Since his first week on the job, and over the past 33 years, he has been making Washington, DC incredibly proud,” Bowser said. “He’s a son of DC who grew up in Carver Langston, joined the Metropolitan Police Department as a cadet at 17 years old, and now he’s ready for his next chapter. On behalf of our city, I want to congratulate Chief Contee on his retirement and thank him for his service to DC — for leading MPD with passion and purpose. He has pushed our criminal justice system to do more and be better. He has led MPD through an incredibly challenging time for our country – from the pandemic to January 6th and navigating the effects of a shrinking department during a time when gun violence is exploding across the nation. He has been a phenomenal ambassador of what it means to be a police officer in DC – brilliant, compassionate, and determined to build a DC where all people feel safe and are safe.”
