DC police chief 'manipulated crime data,' House report claims

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released a new report on Sunday claiming that D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith manipulated crime data “to maintain the appearance of low crime” in Washington, D.C.

In a Sunday press release, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform announced that a new report, titled, “Leadership Breakdown: How D.C.’s Police Chief Undermined Crime Data Accuracy,” shows that Smith pressured and directed police commanders to “manipulate crime data” and that the police chief created an environment of fear, intimidation, threats, and retaliation, which led to a decline in morale and the loss of both commanders and officers at the department.

Sunday’s press release explained that the new report was based on interviews with the commanders of the seven patrol districts in D.C. and with a former commander who was placed on suspended leave.

“Testimony revealed that Chief Smith prioritized lowering publicly reported crime numbers over reducing actual crime, placing intense pressure on district commanders to produce low crime statistics by any means necessary,” the committee said. “Commanders also testified that Chief Smith pushed for more frequent use of lesser, intermediate charges—which are not publicly reported—and required certain crimes to be reviewed by her office, actions that together amounted to manipulating crime data to present the illusion of lower crime in the District.”

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s report showed that the D.C. police chief punished and removed police officers who reported accurate crime statistics and created “an ecosystem of retaliation and toxicity.” Police commanders claimed that they were criticized by Smith for reporting rising crime statistics and repeatedly pressured to lower crime data. 

“Every single person who lives, works, or visits the District of Columbia deserves a safe city, yet it’s now clear the American people were deliberately kept in the dark about the true crime rates in our nation’s capital,” House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) stated. “Testimony from experienced and courageous MPD commanders has exposed the truth: Chief Pamela Smith coerced staff to report artificially low crime data and cultivated a culture of fear to achieve her agenda.”

Comer accused Smith of misleading the public by “manipulating crime statistics” and warned that her actions undermine trust in law enforcement and local leaders. The chairman added that Smith’s upcoming resignation, which was recently announced by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser,  should be viewed as an “inevitable consequence that should have occurred much earlier.” Comer suggested that Smith should resign immediately in light of the report.