Jeffery Carroll to be named interim DC Police chief

WASHINGTON - D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is expected to name Jeffery Carroll as interim D.C. police chief, following last week’s announcement that Chief Pamela Smith will step down at the end of the year.

What we know:

Carroll, the current Executive Assistant Chief of Specialized Operations, oversees the Metropolitan Police Department’s day‑to‑day operations. He was appointed to the role in November 2023. He joined MPD in 2002 and has risen through the ranks after serving in multiple units across the department.

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

The backstory:

The expected announcement comes just days after an interim House Oversight Committee report alleged Smith pressured senior commanders to manipulate crime data, pushed them to downgrade offenses and fostered a retaliatory culture that compromised the accuracy of crime reporting in the nation’s capital.

In an exclusive interview with FOX 5’s Steve Chenevey, Smith firmly denied any manipulation of crime statistics. She also pledged to hold members accountable if issues ever arose.

The 22 page report, titled "Leadership Breakdown: How D.C.’s Police Chief Undermined Crime Data Accuracy," draws on transcribed interviews with commanders from all seven MPD patrol districts and a former commander now on leave. 

The committee opened the investigation in August after whistleblowers raised concerns about intentional data suppression.

READ MORE: DC Police Chief Pamela Smith speaks with FOX 5 about decision to resign

According to the report, commanders testified that Chief Smith required any crime meant for MPD’s Daily Crime Report, the city’s most visible public dataset, to be reviewed by her office before it was classified. They said they were directed to downgrade offenses to lesser "intermediate" charges that don’t 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." 

Smith’s decision to step down came after Bowser said she would not seek a fourth term. 

READ MORE: Bowser won't run for fourth term as DC mayor

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