The D.C. police department does have a policy for escorting celebrities and sports teams, contrary to statements by Chief Cathy Lanier in the wake of the controversy involving actor Charlie Sheen, according to a memo obtained by The Washington Examiner. An order issued by Special Operations Division Commander Hilton Burton on April 22 — three days after the Sheen episode — describes two types of police escorts: one for top elected officials and foreign dignitaries and another that covers all “non dignitary” escorts.
Police escorting dignitaries can use their lights and sirens and can “disregard” posted traffic signs and signals. Escorts like the April 19 ride Sheen received or the April 23 shadow for the New York Rangers and the hockey team’s owners must follow all traffic rules, the order says. The same day that order was issued to police precincts, Lanier released a statement saying it was department policy to provide escorts only to the president, vice president, mayor and foreign dignitaries.
A Lanier spokeswoman said Tuesday that the April 22 order “is a reminder to the [division] to follow the existing orders.”
Police union chief Kris Baumann said Burton’s order is an example of department in disarray.
“Burton’s order is an indication that they’re just making this stuff up as they go,” Baumann said. “This is one of the largest police departments in the country, and I don’t think that’s acceptable and the public doesn’t think it’s acceptable either.”
Tuesday morning while on NewsChannel8’s “NewsTalk,” Lanier continued to dodge the controversy over Sheen’s escort.
“It was not a government decision,” she said. “Somebody lower down made the decision.”
According to Burton’s order, the commander of the Special Operations Division and then an assistant chief of police from the Homeland Security Bureau must give their approval for any police escort, whether it be for a celebrity, sports team or the president.
Lanier said that didn’t happen with Sheen’s escort and she’s trying to figure out why.
Meanwhile, the department is continuing to investigate claims by Sheen that the escort was driving 80 mph with the lights and sirens on, a violation of department policy. Escorts like the one Sheen received are also not allowed to travel outside the District unless they have approval from the department and the neighboring jurisdiction, even though Sheen’s did just that.
