Washington, D.C., is under a harsh spotlight as allegations surface about manipulated crime stats.
U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Jeanine Pirro detailed on Wednesday how the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) allegedly underreported crime figures to paint a rosier picture, the Daily Caller reported.
A federal probe, unveiled Monday, dug into over 6,000 reports and interviewed more than 50 witnesses to reveal the MPD's questionable bookkeeping. Pirro’s team exposed a deliberate effort to deflate numbers, casting doubt on public trust in local law enforcement.
Shocking Disparity in Prosecution Rates
On “America’s Newsroom,” Pirro dropped a bombshell about the prior administration’s failures. She pointed out that during former President Joe Biden’s term, a staggering 65 percent of arrests in D.C. went unprosecuted.
“In my office, we go forward with over 90 percent of the arrests,” Pirro declared with conviction. Compare that to the previous U.S. attorney’s dismal record, and it’s clear why communities felt abandoned by a system more focused on optics than justice.
Soft-on-crime policies have consequences, especially when arrests don’t lead to accountability. It’s no surprise that residents grew frustrated with a revolving door of offenders under such lax oversight.
Media and Democrats Challenged by Findings
Democrats and certain media outlets have long touted a narrative of declining crime in D.C. Yet, Pirro’s investigation shatters their claims, showing the MPD excluded serious offenses like aggravated and felony assaults without weapons from their data.
The MPD boasted a 35 percent drop in crime since 2024, but the FBI’s fuller accounting pegged the decrease at a mere 10 percent. That gap isn’t just a statistic; it’s a betrayal of public safety for the sake of a convenient storyline.
Washington Police Union Chairman Gregg Pemberton added fuel to the fire on “The Story with Martha MacCallum” in August. He confirmed officers were directed to misreport crimes like robberies and burglaries, exposing a top-down push to deceive.
Federal Takeover Yields Tangible Results
President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard and assume federal control of the MPD in August now looks prescient. Pirro herself acknowledged the investigation proves Trump’s actions curbed crime more effectively than previously understood.
By late September, over 3,500 arrests were made under this new authority. That’s a clear signal that decisive leadership can cut through bureaucratic games and deliver results for a city desperate for safety.
While Pirro didn’t deny some reduction in crime, her findings suggest the real progress came from federal intervention, not local spin. D.C. residents deserve credit for enduring years of misleading reports while waiting for genuine change.
Restoring Trust Requires Real Accountability
The MPD’s silence in response to these allegations, as noted by the Daily Caller News Foundation, speaks volumes. If they won’t defend their own data, how can citizens rely on them to protect their streets?
This scandal isn’t just about numbers; it’s about a broken compact between government and the people. When crime stats are massaged to fit a narrative, it’s the vulnerable who pay the price in unsafe neighborhoods.
Washington needs more than apologies or internal reviews to fix this mess. True reform starts with leaders who prioritize transparency over progressive talking points, ensuring every arrest counts and every citizen feels secure.
