Allegations Raise Questions About D.C. Crime Statistics

In a recent Congressional report, D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith is accused of pressuring officers to artificially lower crime statistics. This includes classifying certain violent crimes in ways that keep them from being publicly reported.

The report calls into question the city’s claims of a significant drop in violent crime—by 35%—and an 11% decrease in property crime last year. These findings lend credence to President Trump’s assertions that the crime data has been manipulated, which he also referenced when he increased federal police presence in the city last August.

Interviews with seven police district commanders revealed that Chief Smith urged them to misclassify assaults and robberies, displayed frustration over daily crime tallies, and criticized commanders for reporting these statistics accurately.

Commander Michael Pulliam of District 3 has been suspended with pay for allegedly falsifying data.

There are multiple types of violent and property crimes routinely reported, including murder, sexual abuse, burglary, and theft.

The report emerged shortly after Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that Smith would resign this month. This follows a parallel investigation by the Justice Department, which is expected to reveal similar conclusions.

According to the report, Smith had a notable fixation on published crime statistics and encouraged her team to minimize reports of certain crimes in any way possible. The House Oversight Committee shared this in a detailed report.

The Republican-led committee alerted Bowser’s office about the investigation in late October. There’s been no immediate response from Smith’s office regarding whether her resignation is connected to these allegations.

The investigation included testimonies from all seven D.C. police commanders, examining claims that officers were instructed to underreport criminal charges, a claim previously made by the police union.

Historically, officers have sought approval from superiors to file charges, but it’s unusual for Smith to demand direct oversight from her team, including the assistant chief. A commander mentioned that Smith required them to inform her of any incidents affecting crime data before those crimes could be registered, complicating reporting processes.

One commander expressed discomfort with categorizing an incident as “assault with a dangerous weapon,” suggesting it should be filed as “endangerment with a firearm” because of the circumstances.

Another commander recalled being taken aback when a robbery was wrongly labeled as “trespassing.” This officer shared a personal experience about encountering a burglary at their home, which was recorded incorrectly. Though technically applicable, the robbery element was clear from the situation.

Smith reportedly reacted negatively to crimes being reported in public forums, with one commander sharing that he was reprimanded for reporting a significant number of robberies on a particular day. He described feeling humiliated during the briefing.

The Metropolitan Police Department did not respond to requests for comments on these matters.

When President Trump took charge in the wake of violent incidents in D.C., local officials pointed to declining crime data, yet Bowser initially criticized Trump for his portrayal of the city’s crime situation. Nevertheless, she later supported his federal actions in light of ongoing crime concerns.

As Trump announced the federal crackdown, he reiterated that crime was worsening, stating there were alarming indications, including reports of personnel being pressured to provide incorrect crime numbers.