The Justice Department is currently examining whether officials within the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., manipulated crime statistics, as shared by two individuals privy to the investigation.
City officials have consistently referenced this data, which indicates that violent crime rates in the capital are at their lowest in 30 years, to contest President Donald Trump’s attempts at federal intervention.
Despite these statistics suggesting stable crime rates within the district, Trump has deployed several hundred National Guard members, maintaining that violent crime is escalating in D.C.
Now, the Justice Department is looking into the validity of those claims.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has not yet commented about the investigation, first reported by the New York Times.
National Guard presence in DC expected to double soon
The investigation comes as the number of National Guard members on the ground in D.C. is expected to grow once again.
Governors from states such as Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Ohio have collectively contributed around 1,200 troops to enhance surveillance operations in the nation’s capital.
Fresh data from the Trump administration reports that there have been 465 arrests since the beginning of the operation about two weeks ago. Notably, almost half of those detained are accused of being undocumented immigrants, according to administration reports.
The D.C. police union said robberies in the district were down 46%, carjackings were down 83% and all crime was down 8% so far this month.
During an appearance on “The Hill,” Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, referred to these figures as evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of Trump’s initiative in addressing “high-crime areas.”
“You can sense the vibe shift here in D.C. Families are more out … you see the law enforcement presence, and it does make you feel safe,” McLaughlin said. “But those statistics speaks for themselves.”
Trump’s DC crackdown skipping some high-crime areas
Residents say National Guard soldiers are not being sent to some high-crime areas in the district, including southeast D.C.
Some told they’re confused as to why there are no military-style vehicles or troops in the areas that need the most help.
“It’s crazy around here. Lots of violence, you know, lots of killings everywhere,” said resident Shearisce Holton. “So, I’m surprised. I thought they were coming. I haven’t seen nobody.”
Tom Donahue, a D.C. neighborhood commissioner, said the “show of force” from the Trump administration seems like a “spectacle for those that are visiting.”
“Everybody’s asking where all these, you know, additional forces are. But we don’t see them anywhere. Drive around southeast (D.C.), and tell me where you see them,” Donahue said.
‘s Anna Kutz contributed to this report.
