House Oversight Committee accuses DC police chief of manipulating crime data in new report

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DC Police Chief Pamela Smith

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A new interim report released Sunday by the House Oversight Committee alleges that D.C. Police Chief Pamela A. Smith pressured senior commanders to manipulate crime data, directed them to downgrade offenses and fostered a culture of retaliation that undermined the accuracy of public crime reporting in the nation’s capital.

What we know:

The 22-page report, titled "Leadership Breakdown: How D.C.’s Police Chief Undermined Crime Data Accuracy," is based on transcribed interviews with commanders from all seven MPD patrol districts, along with a former commander currently on leave. The committee launched the investigation in August after whistleblower accounts raised concerns about deliberate data suppression. 

According to the report, commanders testified that Chief Smith required crimes that would appear in MPD’s Daily Crime Report (DCR), the city’s most visible public dataset, to be reviewed by her office before classification. Commanders said they were instructed to downgrade offenses to lesser, "intermediate" charges that do not appear in public data, including:

• Reducing assault with a dangerous weapon (ADW) to endangerment with a firearm, which is not publicly reported.
• Reclassifying burglaries to unlawful entries, another non-reported category.

The report states these practices "amounted to manipulating crime data to present the illusion of lower crime in the District." 

DC Police Chief Pamela Smith

What they're saying:

MPD commanders described an internal environment marked by intimidation, public beratement and retaliation whenever crime numbers rose.

One commander compared mandatory crime briefings to an "atonement for our sins," saying they were routinely humiliated in front of staff when reporting increases in serious offenses. 

Commanders also testified they feared reassignment or career damage if they presented "bad news" about rising crime, with several citing examples of unwarranted transfers, demotions, and a culture that discouraged honest reporting.

The committee also said commanders confirmed President Trump’s 2025 federal law enforcement surge — which placed MPD under the authority of the U.S. Attorney General — was helping offset staffing shortages and reduce crime in some districts. 

Chairman James Comer said Chief Smith’s planned resignation at the end of the month "should not be seen as voluntary," calling on her to step down immediately.

DC Police Chief Pamela Smith

The other side:

In a statement Sunday, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said, "The men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department run towards danger every day to reduce homicides, carjackings, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and more. The precipitous decline in crime in our city is attributable to their hard work and dedication and Chief Smith’s leadership."

"I thank Chief Smith for her commitment to the safety of DC residents and for holding the Metropolitan Police Department to an exacting standard, and I expect no less from our next Chief of Police," she added.

What's next:

The Committee says its investigation is ongoing and that it will seek additional documents on crime classifications, internal directives and command-level communications. It recommends D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser appoint a new police chief who will ensure accurate crime reporting and address the retaliation concerns described by MPD commanders.