Last week, I talked with Councilmember Phil Mendelson a few times about various policing issues. As chair of the Judiciary Committee, it’s his job to point out issues within the D.C. police department and crime in general. One thing that seemed to puzzle Mendo was this: Why hasn’t Police Chief Cathy Lanier spoken out about the gun amendment attached to the D.C. voting rights bill?

If there ever was a time to hear from Lanier this would be it.

“I get the impression from time to time that she’s more constrained by the mayor than was her predecessor with the former mayor. I definitely have a sense of that,” Mendelson says. “I think it would be very helpful if she spoke out. She would like to speak out—-that’s my guess.”

Meanwhile, the police have been putting a lot of guns on the table. And the D.C. Police Department’s press arm has been releasing regular reports of these gun and ammo seizures.

From a March 13 release:

*”At approximately 4:40 pm, on Thursday, March 12, 2009, members assigned to the department’s Sixth District were conducting an investigation in the 4400 block of Douglas Street, NE. As a result of this investigation, an assault weapon was recovered. No arrest related to this incident was reported.”

*”At approximately 6:40 pm, on Thursday, March 12, 2009, members assigned to the department’s First District were conducting a traffic stop in the 300 block of 19^th Street, SE. As a result of this traffic stop, a suspect was placed under arrest and charged with “Carrying a Pistol Without a License” for having possession of a semi-automatic handgun.”

From another March 13 release:

*”At approximately 10:40 am, on Wednesday, March 11, 2009, members assigned to the department’s Fourth District recovered a semi-automatic handgun in the 4400 block of 7th Street, NW. The suspect in this case was arrested and charged with ‘Carrying a Pistol Without a License.'”

*”At approximately 4:25 pm, on Wednesday, March 11, 2009, members assigned to the department’s Seventh District were conducting an investigation in the 1300 block of Howard Road, SE. As a result of this investigation, a subject was arrested for possession of an Air Pistol (BB-Gun) and charged with gun related charges.”

*”At approximately 8:05 pm, on Wednesday, March 11, 2009, members assigned to the department’s Narcotics Special Investigations Division were conducting a traffic stop in the 700 block of 49th Street, NE. As a result of the investigation, a suspect was arrested and charged with ‘Carrying a Pistol With a License’ for having possession of a semi-automatic handgun.”

*”At approximately 8:15 pm, on Wednesday, March 11, 2009, members assigned to the Fifth District were conducting a search warrant in the 200 block of Douglas Street, NE. As a result of the investigation, two handguns were recovered. No arrests were reported with this case.”

From a March 11 release:

*”At approximately 10:30 am, on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, members assigned to the department’s Gun Recovery Unit were assisting with an eviction in the 600 block of Orleans Place, NE. As a result of this eviction, a semi-automatic handgun was recovered and a suspect was arrested and charged with gun related charges.”

*”At approximately 9:00 pm, on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, members assigned to the department’s Sixth District were conducting a traffic stop in the 5300 block of D Street, SE. During the course of their investigation they recovered a handgun with several live rounds of ammunition. The suspect arrested in this case was charged with ‘Carrying a Pistol Without a License.'”

*”At approximately 10:10 pm, on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, members assigned to the department’s Fourth District were conducting an investigation in the 300 block of Upshur Place, NW. As a result of this investigation, two suspects were arrested and two handguns were seized with several live rounds of ammunition. The suspects in this case were charged with ‘Carrying a Pistol Without a License.'”

*”At approximately 1:00 am, on Wednesday, March 11, 2009, members assigned to the department’s Seventh District were conducting an investigation in the 1300 block Morris Road, SE. Subsequently they recovered a handgun and two suspects were arrested and charged with gun related charges.”

From a March 9 release:

*”At approximately 10 pm, on Saturday, March 7, 2009, members assigned to the department’s First District while stopping a suspect in the 1200 block of 14th Street, NW, recovered a handgun and several rounds of ammunition. The suspect has been charged with Carrying a Pistol Without a License.”

*”At approximately 3:30 pm, on Saturday March 7, 2009, a member assigned to the department’s Sixth District responded to the report for found property in the 3500 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE, and recovered a handgun and several rounds of ammunition.”

*”At approximately 11:30 pm, on Saturday March 7, 2009, a member of the department’s Sixth District while stopping a juvenile suspect in the 200 block of 37th Place, NE, recovered a handgun and several rounds of ammunition. The 16-year-old suspect was arrested. The charge(s) cannot be released due to the suspect’s age.”

*photo of Lanier and Ramsey courtesy of WTOP.