Police Department Employees Placed on Leave Amid Investigation
On Monday, over a dozen employees of the Metropolitan Police Department found themselves on leave after an internal investigation into altered crime data reports. However, there are hints that the situation might be more complicated than it seems.
A grand total of 13 staff members have been placed on administrative leave, receiving termination notices linked to fabricated criminal reports, according to Interim Director Jeffrey Carroll. This announcement follows a federal inquiry that raised questions about the validity of crime data under former Police Chief Pamela Smith, suggesting the department minimized and misclassified many criminal incidents.
“Our main focus continues to be the safety of residents and visitors in D.C.,” Carroll noted at a press conference. He emphasized that, while specific details about the ongoing investigations can’t be released, the Internal Affairs Bureau had already conducted a thorough inquiry referred to them by the U.S. Attorney’s Office earlier this year. Beyond that, he didn’t provide further specifics.
“I can confirm there have been misconduct allegations which led to these investigations, and the subsequent actions taken pertain to these individuals,” he stated.
This abrupt wave of disciplinary action has raised eyebrows within the department. One insider revealed that two officers were sanctioned by Smith for attempts to stifle dissent among their peers.
Commander Michael Pulliam, among those who received redundancy notices, firmly rejects all allegations against him. His wife, Captain Rachel Pulliam, had also made a sudden exit from her role in the Juvenile Investigative Response Unit just one week after its establishment by Smith and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. Following this, he was reassigned to night shifts in a different district.
A source familiar with the proceedings, wishing to remain anonymous, suggested the actions were more about consolidating power by Smith rather than genuine concerns over misconduct.
Moreover, this source implied that the Pulliams faced retribution not for alleged data manipulation, but due to personal conflicts tied to Rachel’s perceived insubordination.
Interestingly, some sources suggested that Commander Pulliam was among the few in law enforcement genuinely dedicated to addressing crime in D.C.
The Metropolitan Police Department refrained from commenting further on matters regarding internal investigations or personnel issues, but they directed inquiries to a press conference led by Interim Chief Carroll.
