The Justice Department has completed its investigation into whether the District of Columbia’s Metropolitan Police Department manipulated crime data to make crime rates appear lower, according to multiple law enforcement sources. Sources familiar with the matter said DOJ has notified MPD of the conclusion of the probe and is expected to release its findings as early as Monday, NBC Washington reported.
A draft version of the report obtained by News4 describes a pattern of repeated downgrading and misclassification of crimes, allegedly driven by pressure within the department to show declining crime rates.
MPD’s “official crime statistical reporting mechanism is likely unreliable and inaccurate due to misclassifications, errors, and or purposefully downgraded classifications and reclassifications,” the draft report states. “A significant number of MPD reports are misclassified.”
Investigators interviewed more than 50 witnesses and reviewed thousands of police reports as part of the probe, according to the draft.
Witnesses described an increase in pressure under Police Chief Pamela Smith, who announced this week that she will step down at the end of the month.
“While witnesses cite misclassifications and purposely downgraded classifications of criminal offenses at MPD for years prior, there appears to have been a significant increase in pressure to reduce crime during Pamela Smith’s tenure as Chief of Police that some describe as coercive,” the report states.
The draft findings fault a “coercive culture” during twice-weekly in-person crime briefings, where commanders were allegedly blamed and publicly humiliated for crime in their districts.
“The individuals presenting are denigrated and humiliated in front of their peers,” the report says. “They are held responsible for whatever recent crime has occurred in their respective districts.”
The draft report also raises concerns about the reliability of MPD’s Daily Crime Report.
Investigators reviewed 191 reports labeled as aggravated assaults and found roughly 33 percent were misclassified, according to the draft.
Sixty-eight percent of reports labeled “pending investigation” were also misclassified and included robberies and assaults, the report says.
Smith told News4 earlier this week that the allegations did not factor into her decision to step down.
The DOJ review is one of two investigations involving MPD crime statistics, alongside a separate probe by the House Oversight Committee.
Both MPD and the office of Mayor Muriel Bowser were provided copies of the report but did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C. also did not respond.
News4 first reported in July that the commander of MPD’s 3rd District, Cmdr. Michael Pulliam, was under investigation for allegedly manipulating crime statistics. Pulliam was placed on paid leave and has denied the allegations.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned MPD crime data and highlighted News4’s reporting after federalizing the department on Aug. 11.
“D.C. gave Fake Crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety,” Trump wrote on social media at the time.
D.C. Police Union Chairman Gregg Pemberton has also expressed skepticism about the reported drop in crime.
“To suggest we’ve seen 60-plus percent drops in violent crime is preposterous,” Pemberton told NBC News. “We’re out on the street. We know the calls we’re responding to.”
Bowser previously said an internal review found concerns involving one commander rather than widespread misconduct.
