Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier spent some time chatting with Bruce DePuyt on NewsTalk this morning, and while there was discussion regarding yesterday’s U Street shooting and several other hot topics, a good chunk of the conversation centered around Lanier’s future under a Vince Gray administration. Lanier took a rather detached stance on the issue.

“I’ve been here twenty years. I love what I do. I came here to be a career service police officer, and that’s what I’ve done,” said Lanier. “Obviously, the decision’s in Gray’s hands, and so we’ll have to see. I don’t have a crystal ball. What happens, happens.”

Lanier did discuss her relationship with Gray in positive terms, describing the current Council Chairman as “a very personable guy, who had very good relationships over the past three years.” Lanier also characterized her relationship with Gray as “good.” DePuyt asked Lanier whether she had a chance to talk with the presumptive Mayor, and she said that she speaks with Gray often at community meetings and “on a regular basis.”

But what about the police union, who backed Gray during his campaign and would like to see a change in leadership at the top levels of MPD? Lanier said that she’s tried to work with the Fraternal Order of Police over the years, “but there are some difficult things” which complicate the relationship. Lanier also noted that she feels she has a good relationship with “a bulk” of the police force.

In the end, Lanier seemed to be genuinely not concerned about the politics of the situation. She recognized that there was going to be business to take care of in any sort of executive transition, but that it wasn’t really her place to interject.

“I’m too busy trying to do my job to worry about political speculation,” said Lanier. “I don’t need the distractions right now.”

There were several other interesting tidbits worth noting during the interview.