The House Oversight Committee released a report on Sunday, detailing the committee’s investigation into DC Police Chief Pamela Smith’s manipulation of crime data.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer called for Pamela Smith to resign immediately in a statement, saying,
“Every single person who lives, works, or visits the District of Columbia deserves a safe city, yet it’s now clear the American people were deliberately kept in the dark about the true crime rates in our nation’s capital. Testimony from experienced and courageous MPD commanders has exposed the truth: Chief Pamela Smith coerced staff to report artificially low crime data and cultivated a culture of fear to achieve her agenda. Chief Smith’s decision to mislead the public by manipulating crime statistics is dangerous and undermines trust in both local leadership and law enforcement. Her planned resignation at the end of the month should not be seen as a voluntary choice, but as an inevitable consequence that should have occurred much earlier. Chief Smith should resign today. The House Oversight Committee is delivering on its responsibility to conduct robust oversight over D.C. and will continue its work to ensure crime data is accurately reported to the public.”
Smith had already announced plans to retire on December 31 just last week ahead of the release of this bombshell report.
The report, titled “Leadership Breakdown: How D.C.’s Police Chief Undermined Crime Data Accuracy,” follows a months-long investigation into whistleblower allegations that DC Police Chief Pamela Smith was intentionally fudging the crime statistics to make DC appear to have lowered homicide, burglary, carjacking, and other crime rates.
The report “reveals that Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela A. Smith pressured and at times directed commanders to manipulate crime data in order to maintain the appearance of low crime in the nation’s capital,” according to a House Oversight Committee Press Release.
“The testimony from the commanders also describes an environment under Chief Smith marked by fear, intimidation, threats, and retaliation—conditions that contributed directly to declining morale and the loss of experienced officers and commanders.”
The committee conducted eight transcribed interviews with Metropolitan Police Department commanders, including suspended DC Police Commander Michael Pulliam, who was placed on paid leave in May due to accusations of manipulating crime data.
Hellbound and Down 