D.C. Inspector General Finds Decade of Failures in MPD Crime Reporting Controls

July 30, 2026

A District of Columbia Inspector General investigation has revealed that the Metropolitan Police Department operated for over a decade without adequate safeguards to ensure accurate crime reporting and data classification. The probe, initiated by Mayor Muriel Bowser following 2025 allegations of crime misclassification, found that MPD disbanded its independent quality control unit in 2013 without replacement and allowed its records management system to function without basic access controls or oversight mechanisms. Investigators discovered that authorized users could alter approved crime reports and classifications without triggering reviews or notifications, while the department failed to update policies or conduct audits of crime reporting accuracy.

Who is affected

District of Columbia residents who rely on accurate crime statistics
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and its officers
Mayor Muriel Bowser and her administration
Crime victims whose incidents may have been misclassified or downgraded
The D.C. Office of the Inspector General

What action is being taken

MPD is establishing an Office of Data Integrity and Analytics
The department is auditing user access within the Mark43 records management system
MPD is updating reporting policies
The department is developing new procedures to monitor crime data quality

Why it matters

This represents a fundamental breakdown in public trust and accountability, as accurate crime statistics are essential for resource allocation, policy decisions, and community safety assessments. The systemic failures over more than a decade mean that D.C. residents, policymakers, and law enforcement leadership have potentially been making critical decisions based on unreliable data. The ability of unauthorized personnel to modify crime classifications without oversight creates opportunities for manipulation and undermines the integrity of the criminal justice system.

What's next

MPD must restore an independent crime report review unit
The department needs to strengthen controls over access to the records management system
Long-outdated policies require updating
Crime reporting accuracy must become a regular part of MPD's audit and risk assessment process
The Inspector General has urged MPD to reconsider its declined recommendation regarding periodic comparisons between emergency calls and resulting police reports

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer