...Chief Smith’s Pressure Campaign Against Staff Led to Inaccurate Crime Data: Testimony revealed that Chief Smith prioritized lowering publicly reported crime numbers over reducing actual crime, placing intense pressure on district commanders to produce low crime statistics by any means necessary. Commanders also testified that Chief Smith pushed for more frequent use of lesser, intermediate charges—which are not publicly reported—and required certain crimes to be reviewed by her office, actions that together amounted to manipulating crime data to present the illusion of lower crime in the District...
On purpose.