Justice Dept. Is Taking a Look at DC's Crime Stats

DOJ is investigating the accuracy of reported crime drops in nation's capital
Posted Aug 20, 2025 5:43 AM CDT
Feds Investigate DC's Crime Stats for Signs of Fudging
A Washington Metropolitan Police vehicle is seen near the Capitol on Oct. 19, 2022, in Washington.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into whether the police department in Washington, DC, manipulated crime statistics to make the city appear safer, according to sources familiar with the case. The probe, which is being run by the federal prosecutor's office in DC, puts local officials under new scrutiny and raises the stakes in the ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and city leaders over control of law enforcement in the capital.

President Trump confirmed the investigation on social media, accusing DC officials of providing "Fake Crime numbers" to create a misleading sense of security. He characterized the alleged data manipulation as "very bad and dangerous," suggesting that the federal crackdown he's put in place in the city is necessary to improve safety there. The New York Times reports that America First Legal, a nonprofit group founded by Trump adviser Stephen Miller, is currently seeking records from the city and police department that it says may shed light on any data fudging.

The Metropolitan Police Department placed commander Michael Pulliam on leave in May after allegations surfaced that he altered crime data, per the Post. Mayor Muriel Bowser told NBC Washington last month that the police chief had looked into all seven of DC's policing districts and didn't find any widespread data manipulation. Bowser and other city leaders maintain that violent crime has dropped significantly—down 27% compared with last year, based on police data. Murders are reportedly down 11%. Bowser has publicly rejected claims of a crime surge, stating that "we're watching our crime numbers go down."

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