DC Police Chief Pamela Smith announces resignation

DC Police Chief Pamela Smith resigning

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith announced Monday that she is stepping down.

WASHINGTON - Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith announced Monday that she is stepping down.

What they're saying:

In a statement posted to the Department's website, Smith called her tenure "the greatest honor" of her career. She thanked D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, the D.C. Council, and city residents for their support, noting both the challenges and progress made in reducing crime.

"This role has been both challenging and rewarding. I am proud of the accomplishments we achieved together, and I thank the residents of this city for their trust and partnership," she said. "While my aspiration has always been to see zero percent crime, we are not there yet. Nonetheless, we have made tremendous progress, and there remains important work ahead."

Smith said the department is well‑positioned to continue strengthening public safety and praised the resilience of Washington’s community. "I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity as Chief of Police," she continued. "It has been an honor to lead the men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department, and I will always carry with the me the pride of having served this city."

Bowser spoke about the decision in a post to X on Monday morning. "When Chief Smith stepped up to lead the Metropolitan Police Department, we had no time to waste," Bowser said. "She came in at a very challenging time for our community, when there was significant urgency to reverse the crime trends our city was facing post pandemic. Within a year of her tenure, we opened the Real-Time Crime Center. We deployed newer and better technology. W worked with the Council to pass comprehensive legislation that prioritizes accountability. And Chief Smith got all of this done while also navigating unprecedented challenges and attacks on our city's autonomy."

"Chief Smith dramatically drove down violent crime, drove down the homicide rate to its lowest levels in eight years, and helped us restore a sense of safety and accountability in our neighborhoods," Bowser said. "We are grateful for her service to Washington, DC.."

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WASHINGTON, DC- JULY 25: Acting police chief Pamela A. Smith speaks with captain Charles Barnes-Tutt in the Fairlawn neighborhood in Washington, DC on July 25, 2023. (Photo by Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

What we know:

Smith was nominated by Bowser in July 2023 and confirmed by the D.C. Council that November. She made history as the department’s first Black woman to serve as chief. 

She joined MPD in May 2022 as its first Chief Equity Officer after a 24-year career in law enforcement, including a tenure as Chief of Police for the United States Park Police in Washington.

She was in command in the nation’s capital this summer when President Donald Trump issued an emergency order that federalized the city’s police force and deployed hundreds of National Guard troops in what his administration described as a crime-fighting mission.

READ MORE: DOJ, DC agree Chief Pamela Smith to remain in charge of DC police

In August, the Trump administration briefly named the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration as Washington’s "emergency police commissioner," granting them the full powers of the police chief. That move was quickly reversed, leaving Smith in charge of the department.

Bowser recently announced she will not seek re-election next year.

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