D.C. Police Chief Resigns Amid Federal Investigation Into Crime Data Accuracy
Washington D.C., Sunday, 21 December 2025.
Facing federal inquiries into manipulated statistics, outgoing Chief Smith vehemently defended her integrity, controversially directing a biblical “F you” at critics during her Friday farewell address.
A Contentious Departure
On Friday, December 19, 2025, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith delivered a highly charged farewell address at the department’s headquarters, marking the end of her two-and-a-half-year tenure [1]. Amidst escalating federal scrutiny regarding the integrity of the capital’s crime statistics, Smith utilized her background as a minister to issue a stark rebuke to her critics. In a moment that blended religious rhetoric with defiance, she stated, “I’m going to the Bible when I say this to my haters: F you,” before immediately clarifying that she forgave them [1][4]. Smith, the first Black woman to lead the MPD, is set to officially vacate her position on December 31, 2025, leaving behind a legacy now clouded by investigations into data governance [1][4].
Allegations of Data Manipulation
The resignation occurs against the backdrop of severe allegations from the U.S. House Oversight Committee and the Department of Justice [1]. A report released by the House committee on December 14, 2025, accused Smith of fostering a “toxic management culture” where officers were allegedly pressured to misclassify crime data to artificially lower reported statistics [2]. These findings challenge the validity of the department’s reported successes, specifically the sharp decline in violent crime cases, which reportedly fell from 5,345 in 2023 to 2,341 as of December 5, 2025 [2]. This represents a statistical decrease of -56.202 percent, a figure that federal investigators suggest may be the result of tampering rather than effective policing [2].
Political Fallout and Leadership Transition
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (Democrat) has remained a staunch supporter of Smith, characterizing the House Oversight Committee’s report as “biased from the outset” and a “rush to judgment” designed to fit a political timeline [1][4]. Bowser argued that the committee relied on “cherry-picked quotes” and failed to interview Smith or her associates prior to releasing their findings [2]. Conversely, the D.C. Council has taken a more critical stance, demanding a detailed explanation of the department’s data practices and coordination with federal agencies [3]. The Council has set a deadline of January 9, 2026, for a formal response regarding these governance concerns [3].