D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier has come out swinging in defense of her decision to declare a "crime emergency" state last week after reports of a "credible but unconfirmed" threat to the District around the 9/11 anniversary.

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While Kris Baumann, the head of the police union, challenged the move — which put cops on 12-hour shifts, hiking overtime costs — Lanier fought back on a listserv last night, We Love DC reports. Here's her full statement:

First and foremost, you can’t put a cost on securing the Nation’s Capital. I am going to do whatever is necessary to keep our community safe. I have been heavily involved in Homeland Security for more than 10 years and have rarely seen threat streams that are both specific to Washington DC AND credible. So questioning whether this is necessary is a no-brainer.

That aside, The President of the United States includes funding for the District specifically for 'response to immediate and specific terrorist threats to the District of Columbia.' It is created to avoid exactly this type of dilemma – choosing between the security of our City and cost.

It’s unfathomable that Chairman Baumann would question the deployment of the dedicated men and women to safeguard the residents and visitors of the District of Columbia; after all we are sworn to protect and serve.

The White House released a similar statement today stating 'this is not useless chatter and our vigilance will continue.'