Investigation Launched
Federal authorities have opened a criminal investigation into claims that Washington DC police deliberately altered crime statistics to portray the city as safer than it actually is. According to anonymous sources cited by the Washington Post, NBC News, and Fox News, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, led by Jeanine Pirro, is conducting the probe.
Trump Speaks Out
Former President Donald Trump commented on the situation via social media, alleging that DC officials provided “fake crime numbers” to create a misleading sense of security, and that city officials were “under serious investigation.”
Origins of the Inquiry
The investigation reportedly began after Commander Michael Pulliam was suspended in May by the Metropolitan Police Department over allegations of falsifying crime reports. Pulliam has denied the accusations. Federal prosecutors are now examining potential misconduct involving multiple police officers and city officials.
Conflicting Crime Figures
Mayor Muriel Bowser has pointed to official police reports showing a 27% reduction in violent crime over the past year and a 35% decline in 2024, using these statistics to resist federal intervention in local policing. Meanwhile, DC police union chief Gregg Pemberton, who supports federal oversight, has dismissed both sets of figures as inaccurate, saying officers witness far more crime in their daily work.
Union Perspective
Pemberton told NBC News Washington that officers respond constantly to incidents such as robberies, carjackings, stabbings, and shootings. “Crime is everywhere in the city,” he said, underscoring the difference between official data and the reality officers face on the streets.
