DOJ Finds D.C. Police Crime Data May Have Been Manipulated

The Department of Justice has wrapped up its investigation into allegations that the District of Columbia’s Metropolitan Police Department deliberately manipulated crime statistics to present a rosier picture of public safety, according to multiple law enforcement sources. Officials familiar with the inquiry say DOJ has formally notified MPD that the probe is complete, with public findings expected as soon as Monday, NBC Washington reported.

A draft version of the DOJ report obtained by News4 paints a troubling picture, outlining what investigators describe as a sustained pattern of downgraded offenses and misclassified reports—conduct allegedly fueled by internal pressure to manufacture declining crime rates rather than confront reality.

According to the draft, MPD’s “official crime statistical reporting mechanism is likely unreliable and inaccurate due to misclassifications, errors, and or purposefully downgraded classifications and reclassifications.” The report adds bluntly, “A significant number of MPD reports are misclassified.”

Investigators interviewed more than 50 witnesses and examined thousands of police reports during the course of the probe, the draft indicates, uncovering systemic issues that raise serious questions about the integrity of the city’s crime data.

Several witnesses described escalating pressure within the department during the tenure of 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 point to what investigators characterize as a “coercive culture” during twice-weekly, in-person crime briefings, where commanders were allegedly singled out, blamed, and publicly shamed for criminal activity occurring 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.”

Investigators also flagged serious concerns about the credibility of MPD’s Daily Crime Report. A review of 191 incidents labeled as aggravated assaults found that approximately 33 percent were misclassified. Even more striking, 68 percent of cases marked as “pending investigation” were allegedly misclassified, with some involving serious offenses such as robberies and assaults.

Chief Smith told News4 earlier this week that the allegations played no role in her decision to step down.

The DOJ inquiry is one of two active investigations scrutinizing MPD’s crime statistics, alongside a separate probe being conducted by the House Oversight Committee—an effort reflecting growing congressional concern over transparency, accountability, and public trust in law enforcement data.

Copies of the draft report were provided to MPD and to the office of Mayor Muriel Bowser, though neither immediately responded to requests for comment. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia also declined to respond.

News4 first broke the story in July that Cmdr. Michael Pulliam, head of MPD’s 3rd District, was under investigation for allegedly manipulating crime data. Pulliam was placed on paid leave and has denied any wrongdoing.

President Donald J. Trump, now serving his second term, has repeatedly challenged MPD’s crime figures and publicly 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.

The D.C. Police Union has echoed those concerns. Chairman Gregg Pemberton questioned the dramatic declines reported by city officials.

“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.”

Mayor Bowser has previously maintained that an internal review identified issues tied to a single commander rather than evidence of widespread misconduct—an assertion now under renewed scrutiny as federal findings near public release.