Overview
- An interim House Oversight report says Chief Pamela A. Smith pressured commanders to downgrade offenses and route cases for central review, using lesser 'intermediate' charges that do not appear in the Daily Crime Report.
- U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said a review of nearly 6,000 reports and more than 50 interviews found a significant number of misclassified cases, concluded no criminal charges were warranted, and urged MPD to fix internal practices.
- Smith announced her resignation on December 8 effective December 31 and has denied authorizing manipulation, while Mayor Muriel Bowser defended the department’s reported declines and called the committee’s report rushed and biased.
- City data cited by officials shows violent crime down about 28% year to date and homicides down roughly 31% versus 2024, though investigators say misclassification made public counts artificially lower.
- The committee plans to keep seeking records and recommends Bowser appoint a new chief to restore accurate reporting and address retaliation concerns, as some commanders also credited the federal law enforcement surge with helping reduce crime.