Investigation into Metropolitan Police Department Leads to Administrative Leave for Employees
Thirteen staff members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in Washington, D.C., are on administrative leave as they face potential termination. This action comes amid an investigation regarding the manipulation of crime statistics, which was reportedly done to create a misleading sense of security.
MPD Interim Chief Jeff Carroll announced on Tuesday that the officers would be placed on leave and have received notices regarding their termination following the completion of an Internal Affairs Bureau investigation into the crime report.
Some of these officers had already taken leave for other reasons, but all have been notified about proposed adverse actions, which include possible termination. Carroll stated, “Our Home Office has completed an investigation into the crime report. This investigation was reported, and the United States Attorney’s Office notified us earlier this year.”
Details of the investigation were not shared. FOX News Digital has reached out to various entities, including the MPD, the Department of Justice, and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, for further comments.
A federal inquiry that began last year discovered that the Metropolitan Police Department had misclassified crime reports, resulting in crime statistics for Washington, D.C., appearing “artificially low.” According to Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, about 6,000 reports and interviews with over 50 witnesses indicated a significant underestimation of crime in the area.
Carroll expressed the need to take crime classification seriously, stating, “We don’t want to trivialize any crime. Of course. We want to ensure that crimes are properly classified and investigated, no matter what category they fall under.”
Two federal reports were released in late 2025 concerning this issue, one from the Department of Justice and another from the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee. The inquiry was prompted by President Donald Trump’s federal response to rising crime in the capital, which he claimed was exacerbated by previous police leadership’s manipulation of statistics.
Pamela Smith resigned as the Metropolitan Police Commissioner in 2025 during the investigation into the crime data.
A House report titled “How D.C.’s Police Chief Diminished the Accuracy of Crime Data” accused Smith of valuing public perception over genuine crime reduction efforts. It detailed how she utilized public humiliation and retaliatory actions against officers reporting rising crime rates, sometimes demeaning them during mandatory crime briefings intended to discuss statistics.
D.C. Police Union President Greg Pemberton welcomed the recent actions against senior commanders. He commented, “Justice is being served. Those responsible for this betrayal should be held accountable, not just for the officers they undermined but for the residents who deserve authentic leadership and safety.” He also noted that a toxic culture had led to numerous uninvestigated cases, denying justice to victims and jeopardizing public safety.
Despite the ongoing issues, Carroll mentioned that crime data continues to play a crucial role in determining officer deployment in high-crime areas, asserting, “We use crime statistics every day to support our deployment across the city. I’m confident in that number.”
