Officers Charged with Falsifying Crime Statistics, Echoing Trump’s Earlier Claims

In a significant development, 13 officers of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) have been placed on leave amid an ongoing investigation into alleged manipulation of crime statistics, validating concerns President Donald Trump raised nearly a year ago about “fake crime numbers” in the nation’s capital.

According to MPD Interim Chief Jeffrey Carroll, some officers have already begun termination proceedings. “Our Internal Affairs Bureau has completed an investigation into crime reporting,” Carroll stated, noting that the case was initially referred to the department by the United States Attorney’s Office earlier this year.

The investigation has implicated high-ranking officials, including an assistant chief and district commander, according to reports. This scandal emerges after President Trump deployed the National Guard to Washington, D.C. last year, claiming at the time that “DC gave fake crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety.”

Trump’s decision to send federal forces to the District sparked intense criticism from local officials and Democratic lawmakers. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) has now claimed credit for the recent developments, stating, “These terminations are a direct result of the Oversight Committee’s work exposing dangerous efforts by DC Police leaders to artificially lower crime rates.”

The District’s non-voting Delegate to Congress, Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), had previously condemned Trump’s use of federal law enforcement as a “disproportionate overreaction” and “offensive.” Similarly, the all-Democratic District Council characterized the former president’s actions as extreme and inappropriate.

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb went so far as to sue the federal government over what he termed an “unlawful attempt to take over [MPD],” arguing that Trump had no right to supersede then-chief Pamela Smith’s authority. “The Administration is abusing its limited, temporary authority under the Home Rule Act, infringing on the District’s right to self-governance and putting the safety of DC residents and visitors at risk,” Schwalb said at the time.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also weighed in against extending the National Guard’s presence in the District, using profanity to emphasize his opposition and suggesting Trump’s move was intended to distract from the Jeffrey Epstein files controversy.

The police union, however, has welcomed the developments. Union president Gregg Pemberton stated that members “warned that this toxic culture of coercion, fear, and corruption left thousands of cases uninvestigated, denied victims justice, gaslit residents, and endangered public safety.” He further detailed the consequences of the alleged statistical manipulation, saying, “Forensic teams were not dispatched, evidence went uncollected, detectives were never notified, and dangerous criminals walked free. All while the public was fed falsified Daily Crime Report (DCR) numbers.”

The scandal raises serious questions about transparency in policing and accuracy in crime reporting in the nation’s capital. It also highlights the ongoing tension between federal authority and local governance in Washington, D.C., where the unique status of the District often leads to jurisdictional conflicts.

The White House, Senator Schumer, Delegate Holmes-Norton, and Attorney General Schwalb have not yet provided updated comments on the current investigation findings. Schwalb’s office has acknowledged an inquiry and indicated they would respond soon.

This developing situation underscores broader national concerns about crime statistics accuracy and the politicization of law enforcement, particularly in major metropolitan areas where crime rates often become political flashpoints between local and federal authorities.