Prince George's County Council Confirms PGPD Chief Stawinski and Office of Homeland Security Director Whittington

Press Release

 

For immediate release:

February 17, 2015

 

For more information, contact:

Scott L. Peterson

Deputy Manager of Communications/Press Secretary

Cell: 240-619-9400 

 

Prince George’s County Council Confirms Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) Chief H.P. “Hank” Stawinski, III and Prince George’s County Office of Homeland Security Director Gevonia R. Whittington

 

Upper Marlboro, MD – Yesterday, the Prince George’s County Council confirmed the appointments of H.P. “Hank” Stawinski, III as Chief of the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) and Gevonia R. Whittington as Director of the Prince George’s County Office of Homeland Security.  Following the County Council confirmation, Chief Stawinski and Director Whittington were sworn-in during a ceremony in the Office of the County Executive in Upper Marlboro, MD. To view this swearing-in ceremony click here.

 

“The Prince George’s County Council confirmed two incredible leaders to continue our public safety progress throughout the County,” said Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, III. “I want to congratulate Hank Stawinski and Gevonia “Gee-Gee” Whittington on their new and critical leadership positions and look forward to being kept appraised through their counsel as well as their service to the citizens of this County.  I also want to thank Chairman Derrick L. Davis and the Members of the Prince George’s County Council for their support of these appointees.  Hank and Gee-Gee are County residents who also represent the next generation of County leaders who will continue to transform public safety in Prince George’s County.”

 

“The Council congratulates County Executive Baker on his two solid choices for public safety leadership before the Council,” said Prince George’s County Council Chair Derrick L. Davis. (D-District 6)  “We are pleased to unanimously confirm the appointments of both Chief Hank Stawinski and Homeland Security Director Gevonia Whittington.  Safe communities is a top priority and with these appointments, Prince Georgians are assured of grassroots, experienced, long-serving public safety leaders.”

 

Established originally in 1931, the Prince George's County Police Department serves approximately 900,000 citizens throughout the County. The Department answers over 500,000 calls for service per year and has an authorized strength of over 2,000 officers and 300 civilians. Over the past 5 years, PGPD has reduced crime over 40% and violent crime over 30% while trail blazing innovations in community policing, communications, and the use of data to curb negative crime trends.  

 

"At the end your life, you add it all up and it all comes down to a few moments and this is one of them for me,” said PGPD Chief Hank Stawinski. “The most fundamental reason why I would like to continue my tenure and lead what I refer to as the family business in the future is sitting right here (my daughter) - ensuring her safety and the safety of all the children in Prince George's County into the future."

 

In 2003 Prince George's County Government established the Office of Homeland Security to plan and coordinate the County's domestic preparedness and emergency response efforts. The Prince George's County Office of Homeland Security is comprised of three functions, combined to ensure the safety and security of the citizens and residents of this County. Homeland Security is comprised of an administrative office and two operational divisions, the Office of Emergency Management and the Office of Public Safety Communication. Furthermore, over recent years Prince George’s County has grown its homeland security apparatus by building a more robust Office of Emergency Management as well as investing in public safety infrastructure with the opening of a new 9-1-1 dispatch center in 2010 and Public Safety Complex in 2015.

 

“I want to again thank Mr. Baker for such an awesome opportunity,” said Prince George’s County Office of Homeland Security Director Gevonia Whittington. “I appreciate that he has chosen me and has the faith that I will lead the Office of Homeland Security to new heights.  Homeland Security is such a critical component in the County and in the Country.  I look forward to working with the men and women of the Office of Homeland Security, while striving to keep our community safe. I will seek to earn this position every day.”

 

BIO OF PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY POLIC DEPARTMENT CHIEF STAWINSKI:

Henry P. Stawinski III, known as Hank, was appointed to the position of Deputy Chief of Police on September 11, 2011. He began his law enforcement career in 1992 with the Prince George’s County Police Department which serves 486 square miles and nearly one million residents along the eastern border of Washington D.C. Since July of 2013, Hank has been responsible for the Bureau of Patrol to which approximately 1100 of the Department’s 1700 sworn members are assigned. Within the Bureau are the six current district stations with a seventh district under construction and set to open in the Fall of 2015. Also within the Bureau is the Special Operations Division which includes Aviation, Canine, Collision Analysis and Reconstruction, three Emergency Services Teams, and the Marine Unit. The Bureau of Patrol manages a budget of $138 million, nearly half of the Department’s total annual budget. 

 

His three prior assignments include serving as the Deputy Chief for the Bureau of Forensic Science & Intelligence, Chief of Staff to the Chief of Police, and Deputy Inspector General for the Department. In his 23 years of service, he has played a key role in the Department’s seven successful bids for accreditation, founded and supervised the Behavioral Sciences Services Unit, and led the “Arrive Alive” officer driving safety campaign.

 

Hank holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Boston College and a Master of Science in Management from The Johns Hopkins University. He is an alumnus of both the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police and the Major Cities Chiefs Association Police Executive Leadership Institute.  He has also attended the negotiation program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.  He is a member of the Police Executive Research Forum, the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, and the Police Chief’s Association of Prince George’s County. He is a past President of the Maryland Association of Police Planners. Hank lives in Prince George’s County with his wife of 15 years and their daughter.

 

BIO OF DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECUIRTY DIRECTOR WHITTINGTON:

Gevonia (“Gee-Gee”) Whittington entered the Prince George’s County Government in 1989, starting as a civilian station clerk with the police department.  She entered the police academy in 1993 and retired from the police department in December of 2015, as a Deputy Chief.  She was the second African American female appointed to the rank of Deputy Chief in the Department’s history and the longest serving.  She has served in numerous capacities throughout her career to include patrol, investigations, canine (handler and supervisor), patrol shift commander, internal affairs, and assistant commander of the Special Operations Division. 

 

She was the second female to hold the position and was responsible for the management of the Aviation Section, Canine Section, Tactical Section (Emergency Services Teams and Tactical Teams), Special Events Section (FedEx), Traffic Section and the Marine Unit (National Harbor).  In addition, she was an assistant commander of the District II (Bowie) station and the first and only female commander of the District III (Seat Pleasant) station. She also served in the capacity of executive officer, assistant to the bureau chief several times before becoming a bureau chief herself. In her last position as bureau chief in the Bureau of Administration (BOA), she oversaw the Training and Education Division, Personnel, Recruiting and Background, Fiscal Management, Risk Management and sat as the Agency’s EEO Coordinator.  Gevonia also served on the Promotional Committee and represented the Agency in labor negotiations for both the Police Civilian Employee Association (PCEA) and Crossing Guards.

 

Gevonia holds a bachelor of science in organizational leadership from Mountain State University and is an alumni of Leadership Prince George’s, Inc.  In addition, she is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police and the founder of W.O.M.E.N (Women, Organizing and Mentoring the New), a group of women who strive to support one another in the area of law enforcement.  Lastly, but most importantly, Gevonia is a wife and the mother of two beautiful children.

 

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