Pirro says Trump reduced DC crime 'more than originally thought' amidst report of altered data
Jeanine Pirro accuses D.C. police of 'manipulating" crime data
D.C.’s U.S. attorney is blasting D.C. police officials on Monday, claiming they’ve manipulated crime stats to make the numbers look like they’re dropping.
WASHINGTON - D.C.’s U.S. attorney is blasting D.C. police officials on Monday, claiming they’ve manipulated crime stats to make the numbers look like they’re dropping.
What they're saying:
"The uncovering of these manipulated crime statistics makes clear that President Trump has reduced crime even more than originally thought, since crimes were actually higher than reported. His crime fighting efforts have delivered even more safety to the people of the District," said D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
Pirro says the conduct does not rise to the level of a criminal charge but says D.C. police need to internally fix the issue.
Pirro did not dispute that crime was down, but said the manipulated crime stats to her "makes it clear President Trump has reduced crime more than originally thought."
The other side:
In a letter to the House Oversight Committee Monday, Bowser said the committee was "headline grabbing" by releasing its report after D.C. Police Chief Smith’s resignation.
She said the report "reflects a rush to judgment in order to serve a politically motivated timeline and release a report whose outcome appears to have been determined before the investigation began."
Read the full letter below.
Bowser told FOX 5 she's seen no evidence to back up accusations that D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith created a work culture of pressure that led to manipulated data.
"Was this about accuracy, or was this about manipulating the number? I don’t see any evidence of that. If the claim is — and I don’t think anybody has demonstrated — that the police chief directed anybody to change numbers, the committee should provide me their backup information, which they haven’t," said Bowser.
Last week, Mayor Bowser touted new D.C. crime stats, claiming violent crime is down 28%, shootings down 52%, and homicides at an eight-year low.
FOX 5 asked the mayor if she plans to ask Chief Smith to resign before December 31st, and she said: "No I don’t."
The backstory:
A congressional report published over the weekend accuses outgoing D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith of creating a toxic work environment to pressure officers to change crime data.
House investigators spoke to all seven D.C. police commanders. Their report says Smith punished officers for reporting accurate data, reassigned those who objected, and created a toxic workplace rooted in fear and retaliation.