{"id":28278,"date":"2025-12-27T08:22:04","date_gmt":"2025-12-27T08:22:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=28278"},"modified":"2025-12-27T08:22:04","modified_gmt":"2025-12-27T08:22:04","slug":"doj-finds-d-c-police-crime-data-may-have-been-manipulated-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=28278","title":{"rendered":"DOJ Finds D.C. Police Crime Data May Have Been Manipulated"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Justice Department has completed its investigation into whether the District of Columbia\u2019s 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\u00a0reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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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.<\/p>\n

MPD\u2019s \u201cofficial crime statistical reporting mechanism is likely unreliable and inaccurate due to misclassifications, errors, and or purposefully downgraded classifications and reclassifications,\u201d the draft report states. \u201cA significant number of MPD reports are misclassified.\u201d<\/p>\n

Investigators interviewed more than 50 witnesses and reviewed thousands of police reports as part of the probe, according to the draft.<\/p>\n

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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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile 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\u2019s tenure as Chief of Police that some describe as coercive,\u201d the report states.<\/p>\n

The draft findings fault a \u201ccoercive culture\u201d during twice-weekly in-person crime briefings, where commanders were allegedly blamed and publicly humiliated for crime in their districts.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe individuals presenting are denigrated and humiliated in front of their peers,\u201d the report says. \u201cThey are held responsible for whatever recent crime has occurred in their respective districts.\u201d<\/p>\n