Bowser responds to growing MPD crime data scandal

Bowser responds to growing MPD crime data scandal

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser responded Wednesday to a growing scandal inside the Metropolitan Police Department could lead to the firing of more than a dozen senior officials accused of manipulating crime data.

WASHINGTON - D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser responded Wednesday to a growing scandal inside the Metropolitan Police Department that could lead to the firing of more than a dozen senior officials accused of manipulating crime data.

What we know:

At issue are 13 senior Metropolitan Police Department officials who have been placed on administrative leave as part of an internal investigation into how crime statistics were handled. The department is reviewing whether disciplinary action, including possible termination, is warranted.

Those under review include Executive Assistant Chief Andre Wright, who was placed on leave earlier this year, according to previous FOX 5 D.C. reporting. 

Officials have not said who directed any changes under investigation.

What they're saying:

Muriel Bowser said officials are awaiting the findings of an inspector general investigation before next steps, warning in a statement that there could be consequences, including termination, if statistics were intentionally altered to make public safety conditions appear better than they were.

"There are repercussions for that," Bowser said. "We will look for systematic problems that, in my estimation, should have caught any individual problems. And I am hopeful that that will be laid out in the inspector general's report."

Greggory Pemberton of the D.C. Police Union said the allegations have fueled longstanding concerns over staffing shortages and public messaging surrounding crime trends in the nation’s capital.

"We've been here for six years now. We've been short 800 police officers, and we've been told repeatedly, ‘Well, crime is down. When crime is down, you don't need to fix that gap,’" he said.

Pemberton called the alleged manipulation "corruption within the police department" and said those responsible "need to be held accountable," adding that reforms are needed to ensure similar issues do not happen again.

What's next:

The investigation is being reviewed by the House Oversight Committee and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General, according to officials. 

Officials say the process of reviewing potential disciplinary action could take several months.