Thirteen Washington, D.C. police officers, including reportedly some “high ranking” department officials, have been suspended in connection with an internal investigation into how the department is preparing crime statistics – a matter that has also been investigated by Congress and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Interim Washington Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll announced the suspension Tuesday. This is seen as the first step in a sometimes lengthy process of terminating their employment.
Carroll took over the top police post six months ago following the resignation of former chief Pamela Smith amid allegations that Metropolitan Police Department officials were manipulating crime data in the district.
Carroll said at a news conference Tuesday that evaluation and training is underway for officers on how to collect the data. He said the internal investigation would not be released publicly.
In December, a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, acting on whistleblower revelations, found that the former police chief was manipulating crime statistics.
According to its report:
Chief Smith’s pressure campaign against staff led to inaccurate crime data: testimony revealed that Chief Smith prioritized reducing publicly reported crime numbers rather than reducing actual crime, placing intense pressure on district commanders to produce lower crime figures by any means. Commanders also testified that Chief Smith pushed for more frequent use of lesser, intermediate charges – which are not publicly reported – and required certain crimes to be reviewed by his office, which were tantamount to manipulating crime data to present the illusion of lower crime in the district.
Smith has denied ordering or encouraging any manipulation of police data.
13 officers were sent on administrative leave. Before being dismissed they are entitled to certain administrative procedures, including appeals of disciplinary action.
Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) posted his feedback For the announcement of suspension on X.
They wrote, “Make no mistake: The termination of a top D.C. law enforcement top cop has resulted from the Oversight Committee exposing how D.C. police leaders manipulated crime data and created a culture of fear to advance an agenda.” “This isn’t over. I want every document from MPD [Metropolitan Police Department] “Internal investigation.”
The interim chief said that despite the scandal, the department has been reducing crime over the past three years, particularly murders, shootings and carjackings.
“We use crime data every day to help us deploy across the city. I trust those data,” he told reporters.
Carroll said the department’s internal affairs investigation was prompted by a referral from the U.S. Attorney’s Office earlier this year. He declined to go into specific details.
“What I can tell you is that allegations of misconduct were made and members were investigated based on those allegations and the results relate to these individuals,” he said at the press conference.
The Metropolitan Police Department’s crime statistics are being scrutinized following President Donald Trump’s decision to issue an emergency order last summer that federalized the police force and flooded the streets with National Guard troops, an action the president bragged about made the city the safest in the country.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office launched a separate investigation of the crime statistics and found that a large number of MPD reports were misclassified to make crime rates appear lower than they were.
Pirro’s investigation did not find grounds to bring criminal charges against individuals in the department. Pirro said at the time that it was up to the MPD to take steps to address “these underlying issues.”
An investigation into the crime statistics reporting system was also launched by the district’s Office of Inspector General in January. That investigation is ongoing.
Contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the author of the New York Times True Crime Best Seller house of secrets and nine other crime novels and non-fiction titles. Look lovellcauffiel.com For more information.
