The dispute over crime in the nation’s capital has intensified this week. Federal prosecutors are now looking into whether the D.C. Metropolitan Police falsified crime statistics.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, now led by former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, launched the probe this week but did not reveal which federal laws might have been broken.
Sources told The New York Times that investigators are examining whether officials minimized crime or submitted false statements.
Trump confirms the investigation
President Donald Trump confirmed the investigation on Truth Social earlier this week, writing, “D.C. gave fake crime numbers to create a false illusion of safety. This is very bad and dangerous … And they are under serious investigation.”
Recent federal control in DC
The inquiry comes after Trump declared an emergency in the capital, declared federal control of the police force and deployed federal agents and the National Guard to patrol city streets. The changes came after the president cited increased violent crime numbers.
City leaders, including Mayor Muriel Bowser, maintain that most crime categories are actually lower this year and say any reporting issues were limited to one district.
Bowser has been active on social media, sharing statements and statistics that oppose the president. Earlier this month, Bowser said, “Violent crime in DC is at its lowest level in 30 years.”
Previous claims
Crime in Washington has long been a topic of discussion. Earlier this spring, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported a 25% decrease in violent crime in the city during Trump’s first 100 days.
However, in May, a D.C. police commander was suspended after being accused of altering crime statistics.
Bowser recently addressed the situation with NBC Washington, however, saying the city’s police chief “had concerns about one commander, investigated all seven districts and verified that the concern was with one person.”
Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to reflect the month the D.C. police commander was suspended.
