Police Data Probe: A New Look at Crime Numbers

The Washington city police force is under investigation for possible changes to crime reports. An official from the department said they will follow up on a report that is still being written by the city’s Office of the Inspector General. The review started in January but its findings are not yet public. The spokesperson added that the main goal is to lower crime rates. Crime has fallen compared with last year, yet there was a jump in April that worries the department. They say this means more focus is needed to keep residents safe. The police agency has been criticized before for not showing true crime data. In August 2025, a member of Congress began an oversight probe into how the department tracks crimes. It is not clear how far back this investigation looks. During that earlier probe, the former U. S. president commented that Washington was changing numbers to create a false sense of safety. Those remarks came while the president sent National Guard troops into the city.The latest investigation began after the same troop deployment and involved allegations that certain crimes were reclassified. One example is when 390 thefts were changed to a lesser offense called taking property without a right, which counts as a misdemeanor. In 2020, two former officers testified before the city council about data changes. They later sued after claiming they were punished for speaking out. The current police chief took over after a wave of resignations linked to data manipulation. A former commander was put on leave in May 2025 over similar accusations. The Justice Department found that a former chief had created a hostile environment that could influence statistics. The new chief promised better training on how to record crimes, an audit team to check reports regularly, and stricter rules for classification. The department’s spokesperson confirmed these plans. The newspaper reached out to the congressional office for a comment, but no response was received.