Overview
- Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on X that Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith will leave the post and praised her record.
- Smith's final day is Dec. 31, and an interim chief will be named soon, according to new reporting from the Washington Examiner.
- No reason for the resignation was provided, and Smith told Axios that federal attention did not influence her decision, saying, "There comes a time when you just know it’s time."
- Bowser credits Smith with opening a Real-Time Crime Center, deploying new technology, and backing accountability legislation, while police data show violent crime down 28% and homicides tracking an eight-year low.
- Smith, confirmed in 2023 as the first Black woman to lead MPD, previously served as U.S. Park Police chief and joined MPD in 2022 as its first Chief Equity Officer, as Bowser's decision not to seek re-election provides additional context.