The Brief
- A new congressional report alleges MPD Police Chief Pamela Smith pressured commanders to manipulate crime statistics to make crime appear lower.
- Commanders described a culture of intimidation, retaliation and fear under Smith, according to the committee’s transcribed interviews.
- The committee says D.C.’s crime data remains at risk of manipulation and urges the mayor to appoint a new chief who will restore accuracy and transparency.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new interim report released Sunday by the House Oversight Committee alleges that D.C. Police Chief Pamela A. Smith pressured senior commanders to manipulate crime data, directed them to downgrade offenses and fostered a culture of retaliation that undermined the accuracy of public crime reporting in the nation’s capital.
What we know:
The 22-page report, titled “Leadership Breakdown: How D.C.’s Police Chief Undermined Crime Data Accuracy,” is based on transcribed interviews with commanders from all seven MPD patrol districts, along with a former commander currently on leave. The committee launched the investigation in August after whistleblower accounts raised concerns about deliberate data suppression.…