Crime Statistics Scrutiny in D.C. Council Hearing
During a recent hearing, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson found himself in a bit of a bind while responding to questions from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan. They were discussing allegations surrounding the manipulation of crime statistics.
In August, D.C. reached a settlement with former Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant Charlotte Jusaw over claims related to crime classification. Jordan specifically pressed Mendelson about his stance on whether the police were “cooking the books,” particularly concerning a classification called “taking property right.” (Related: Some residents are skeptical about the crime situation amidst local incidents)
“I don’t think we are [cooking the books], but there are some investigations underway,” Mendelson stated.
Jordan also inquired about the settlement, but Mendelson refrained from discussing specifics. He remarked that former MPD officer Andrew Zababsky was accused of manipulating theft data.
“It sounds like you were indeed cooking the books,” Jordan said. “This incident has settled with someone who held a sergeant position at your police station. Are you saying you weren’t?”
In response, Mendelson noted, “There are two investigations ongoing. One is internal at the police department, and the other from this committee.”
Jordan sought clarification on what “taking property right” meant, to which Mendelson responded that it translates to “theft.” When Jordan pressed further on why the city does not label it as theft, Mendelson repeatedly stated he couldn’t comment on the case, creating a back-and-forth about the terminology.
Jordan questioned, “What does it mean to take property without rights?”
Mendelson replied, “That means you’ve defined the crime.”
In August, Trump had dispatched the National Guard to help address crime issues in the capital, leading to a notable decrease in violent crime rates.
When Jordan referred to the classification issue and how statistics suggested a 500% increase, Mendelson struggled to provide a clear answer. He seemed to pivot, suddenly stating gun violence had decreased in the area.
Jordan pointed out, “The focus here is on taking property without the right. What does that actually mean?” Mendelson insisted he had responded, but when questioned further, he backtracked, saying he could not delve into specific crimes.
Jordan shot back, “Why not just call it stealing? If someone took something that belongs to me, how is this new category crafted?”
Mendelson claimed he wasn’t familiar with that classification.
Jusaw had sued the district in 2020 after alleging that the MPD had deliberately downgraded serious crimes like theft to manipulate crime data and retaliated against her. Meanwhile, Zababsky is currently serving a four-year sentence for his role in concealing a murder, admitting in court that these reclassifications were done to obscure the truth from the public.
Chairman of the Washington Police Union, Greg Pemberton, revealed on Fox News that officers had been instructed not to report certain crimes. He elaborated that when incidents occurred, some officers were told to minimize reports, particularly in cases where victims were uncooperative, which could leave serious offenses essentially unreported.
