Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the appointment of Dr. Roger A. Mitchell, Jr. as the Interim Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice. In addition to this appointment, Dr. Mitchell will continue in his role as Chief Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia.
Dr. Mitchell has served as Chief Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia since 2014. As Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Mitchell is uniquely positioned to understand the social determinants that lead to the violence affecting our most vulnerable communities. He is an expert in understanding and treating violence as a public health issue, experience he will use to guide the cluster and work to create a safer, stronger DC.
Dr. Mitchell has recently served as the National Co-Chair for the National Medical Association’s Working Group on Gun Violence and Police Use of Force. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Department of Justice, and the National Institute of Justice frequently seek out his expertise on subjects such as violence, death investigation, and mass fatality management.
Dr. Mitchell is a Ward 5 resident. He received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Howard University, a Doctorate in Medicine from the New Jersey Medical School at the University of Medicine and Dentistry, and a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary.