WASHINGTON — The head of the D.C. Police Union says he does not believe the city’s reported drop in violent crime reflects the reality officers see on the street, raising concerns about the accuracy of official statistics.
Speaking to NBC Washington, union chairman Gregg Pemberton questioned recent data from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) that shows a significant decline in violent crime — 35% in 2024 and an additional 25% through August 2025.
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“There’s a, potentially, a drop from where we were in 2023. I think that there’s a possibility that crime has come down. But the department is reporting that in 2024, crime went down 35% — violent crime — and another 25% through August of this year. That is preposterous to suggest that cumulatively we’ve seen 60-plus percent drops in violent crime from where we were in ’23, because we’re out on the street. We know the calls we’re responding to,” Pemberton said.
In 2023, D.C. experienced a surge in violent crime not seen in two decades. While some national data, including a Council on Criminal Justice report, indicates crime is down in major cities across the U.S., Pemberton remains skeptical that the local data aligns with daily experiences on patrol.
The union’s concerns come amid an ongoing internal investigation into MPD 3rd District Commander Michael Pulliam, who was placed on paid administrative leave in May. He is accused of altering crime classifications to make statistics appear more favorable. Pulliam has denied the allegations, and MPD has stated the matter is being handled as an internal personnel issue.
When asked about the investigation, Chief Pamela Smith said on Aug. 11 that any irregularities in reporting will be addressed, and emphasized that she does not condone reclassifying offenses outside department guidelines.
Mayor Muriel Bowser has also weighed in, saying a department-wide review found the issue was isolated to one district commander.
MPD reports that 552 fewer victims of violent crime have been recorded so far in 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with decreases reported across all seven police districts.
Still, Pemberton cautioned that numbers alone do not capture the full picture. “We’re out on the street every day,” he said. “We know the calls we’re responding to.”
