Ramsey: "I want to make whatever contribution I can" to national gun-violence conversation

This post has been updated.

Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey will travel to Washington, D.C. on Thursday to take part in a discussion about gun violence with Vice President Joe Biden and other law-enforcement leadership from around the country in response to the Newtown, Conn. school shootings.

Ramsey said he received an email late Tuesday that said Vice President Joe Biden was getting a group together to talk about the issue and invited his participation.

Ramsey currently heads the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based think tank.

"This happened rather suddenly. The email came in late yesterday, so I had to juggle some things on my calendar to be able to go tomorrow," Ramsey said Wednesday of his participation in the discussion.

The Commissioner added that he's unsure whether the group's meeting will become a longer-term commitment, but said that if that's the case, he's more than willing to make the time.

"It's an important issue of national significance," Ramsey said. "I want to make whatever contribution I can."

Ramsey said he and other heads of major city police departments called upon to participate will give their input on gun violence to the Vice President on Thursday.

The meeting of is scheduled for noon.