The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, said Monday that her office’s investigation into the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) revealed widespread misclassification of crime reports that made D.C.’s crime levels appear lower than they actually were.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro revealed in a statement posted to her official X account that “In August 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office in D.C. began an investigation into MPD’s reported deflation of crime statistics. The need for accurate information to fight crime is essential.”
She continued: “After a review of almost 6000 reports and the interview of over 50 witnesses it is evident that a significant number of reports had been misclassified, making crime appear artificially lower than it was.”
“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.”
Pirro concluded that while “the conduct did not rise to the level of a criminal charge, it is up to MPD to take steps to internally address these underlying issues.”
Pirro’s announcement follows the release of an interim report titled, “Leadership Breakdown: How D.C.’s Police Chief Undermined Crime Data Accuracy” by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which presented detailed evidence that MPD Chief Pamela A. Smith actively pressured commanders to alter crime reporting practices. The findings are based on transcribed interviews with all seven patrol district commanders and one former commander currently on leave.
The report concludes that Chief Smith “prioritized lowering publicly reported crime numbers over reducing actual crime,” and used her position to coerce staff into using lesser, intermediate charges — many of which were not publicly reported — in order to present the illusion of safety. According to the report, these practices included requiring certain crimes to be reviewed directly by her office and cultivating a culture of “fear, intimidation, threats, and retaliation.” Multiple commanders testified that officers were reprimanded for reporting crime accurately and faced demotion or transfer for noncompliance.
The Oversight Committee’s report confirms that the allegations were consistent and widespread. “Chief Smith’s decision to mislead the public by manipulating crime statistics is dangerous and undermines trust in both local leadership and law enforcement,” said Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer. He called for Smith to resign immediately, stating that her previously announced resignation at the end of December should not be considered voluntary, but rather a delayed consequence of her actions.
Despite Smith’s impending departure, the committee warns that D.C.’s crime data remains vulnerable to continued manipulation, recommending that Mayor Muriel Bowser appoint a new MPD Chief committed to accurate reporting and department-wide reform.
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