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1h ago

White House Cites D.C. Crime Drop as Bowser Credits Federal Surge, Critics Object

MPD figures the White House touts are under scrutiny due to an internal probe into alleged manipulation.

FILE PHOTO: Members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confer with a Metropolitan Police Department office during a traffic stop, after U.S. President Donald Trump deployed National Guard and ordered an increased presence of federal law enforcement to assist in crime prevention, in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 17, 2025. REUTERS/Al Drago/File Photo
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Overview

  • Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said MPD data show total crime down 19% and violent crime down 30%, highlighting double‑digit declines in homicides, robberies, car thefts and assaults.
  • Mayor Muriel Bowser said the federal surge has helped and reported an 87% drop in carjackings over a 20‑day span, noting coordination with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
  • A D.C. police commander has been placed on leave during an investigation into alleged data manipulation, and the police union claims improper downgrading of offenses is more widespread.
  • President Trump deployed hundreds of federal agents and National Guard troops to patrol the city, and officials have publicized increased enforcement, including a 21% rise in arrests compared with the same period last year.
  • D.C. Democratic council members criticized Bowser for praising the operation, and analysts flagged the administration’s shift from calling MPD statistics “fake” to relying on the same numbers to claim success.