Overview
- Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Smith’s exit and praised her for lowering violent crime, citing an eight‑year low in homicides and launching the Real‑Time Crime Center.
- Smith said the decision was personal and shaped by family considerations, stating that federal involvement did not influence her choice.
- Her final day leading the Metropolitan Police Department will be December 31, 2025, and a successor has not been named.
- The Justice Department is investigating complaints from rank‑and‑file officers alleging crime‑data misclassification, which Smith denies directing.
- Smith’s tenure included a summer in which the Trump administration briefly asserted control over MPD and deployed National Guard forces before the move was reversed.