GOP Calls Out DC Police Chief
A House oversight panel is raising serious questions about crime reporting practices inside Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, alleging that senior leadership may have pressured officers to alter crime classifications in ways that understated public safety concerns.
The allegations are detailed in a new report released Sunday by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which examined the department’s handling of crime data under outgoing Police Chief Pamela Smith.
Allegations of Downgraded Crime Classifications
According to the committee’s findings, Smith allegedly encouraged department staff to reclassify certain serious crimes as lesser offenses. Investigators say the practice would have had the effect of lowering the number of felonies appearing in the department’s daily crime reports, potentially presenting a more favorable picture of public safety conditions than residents were experiencing.
Smith was appointed police chief by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, in July 2023. She announced her resignation last week and is scheduled to leave her post at the end of the month.
Congressional Investigation Details
The House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), said its investigation included interviews with seven acting MPD commanders as well as one commander who has since been suspended.
Lawmakers launched the inquiry in August, less than two weeks after President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of National Guard forces to Washington, D.C., citing concerns about rising crime and public safety in the nation’s capital.
Official Crime Data Under Scrutiny
Police data currently show violent crime in the District is down 28 percent compared to this time last year, following a reported 35 percent decline from 2023 to 2024. However, committee members argue that those figures may be misleading if crimes were improperly reclassified.
The report does not dispute that crime trends fluctuate but raises concerns that internal reporting practices could undermine public confidence in official statistics used by policymakers and residents alike.
Claims of Internal Management Problems
Beyond data reporting, the committee’s report also describes what it characterizes as a troubled internal culture within MPD during Smith’s tenure. Investigators allege the department suffered from widespread frustration, fatigue, and fear, with officers feeling pressured by leadership.
“Every person who lives in, works in, or visits Washington, D.C., deserves transparency and honest crime reporting,” Comer said in a statement accompanying the report. “The American public cannot make informed decisions when they are kept in the dark.”
Calls for Accountability
Comer said the allegations, if substantiated, represent a breakdown in trust between law enforcement leadership and the public. He argued that Smith’s departure should not be viewed as routine.
“This outcome was inevitable,” Comer said, adding that accountability should have come sooner.
Smith has not publicly responded to the committee’s findings as of publication.
