Overview
- The Republican-led House Oversight Committee released an interim report alleging Chief Pamela A. Smith pressured commanders to downgrade offenses into intermediate categories that do not appear in public crime reports.
- U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said her office reviewed nearly 6,000 reports and interviewed more than 50 witnesses, concluding a significant number were misclassified, which made crime appear lower than it was.
- Commanders testified to a retaliatory culture under Smith, describing fear, public beratement, and punitive transfers or demotions when reported crime rose.
- Examples cited include downgrading assault with a dangerous weapon to endangerment with a firearm and reclassifying burglaries as unlawful entries, both of which fall outside the Daily Crime Report categories.
- Smith has denied authorizing manipulation, Mayor Muriel Bowser defended her leadership and the city’s crime decline, and the committee urged Bowser to appoint a new chief and enact reforms to ensure accurate reporting.