Washington crime stats system experienced a ‘systemic breakdown’ of internal controls, report says
Summary
A report by Washington, D.C.'s inspector general found that the city’s police department had serious problems with how it collected crime data from 2015 to 2025. The report did not find evidence of fraud but pointed out a breakdown in controls and made recommendations to improve the accuracy of crime reporting.Key Facts
- The inspector general reviewed crime data after accusations from the federal government that numbers were manipulated.
- The breakdown in the system happened over a long period and affected the accuracy of reported crime statistics.
- The report found no proof that errors were made on purpose or fraudulently.
- The 2013 disbanding of an independent unit that checked crime reports led to mistakes going uncorrected.
- Accurate crime data is important for police decisions, city planning, and public trust.
- President Trump had federalized the D.C. police last summer to address crime, but local officials said crime was already falling.
- The police department is creating new training and a Data Quality and Compliance Branch to improve report accuracy.
- A Republican-led House committee and a U.S. attorney’s investigation also found misclassification of crime reports.
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