Weeks before President Donald Trump federalized the Washington, D.C., police force over crime woes, the Metropolitan Police Department was hit with accusations of allegedly juking crime stats for more favorable results. Union chairman Gregg Pemberton alleged that commanders were directing officers to classify serious offenses as lesser crimes, such as theft or assault, instead of shootings or stabbings. These claims intensified after the suspension of Commander Michael Pulliam for allegedly changing crime data, sparking internal investigations within the department.
Trump justified his controversial move to federalize the city’s police department under Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, citing a surge in violent crime. However, Democratic lawmakers and local officials countered that crime is at its lowest level in 30 years, with the city experiencing a steep decline in homicides in 2024. Trump-aligned groups, including the America First Legal Foundation, have filed requests for crime data to investigate possible statistical manipulation, further fueling the controversy.
Despite the alleged manipulations and Trump’s assertion that D.C. is at its