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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Gary Fields

Washington crime stats system experienced a 'systemic breakdown' of internal controls, report says

Washington Mayor - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department's crime statistics collection experienced a “prolonged, systemic breakdown of its internal control system,” according to a report released Tuesday by the city’s inspector general, which reviewed the department's process after accusations by the federal government that figures were manipulated.

The investigation, requested in December by Mayor Muriel Bowser, reviewed MPD crime data from 2015 through 2025. While the report did not indicate any fraud or intentionality in the flaws in the crime stats collection, it recommended a series of steps meant to ensure accuracy in the data gathering going forward.

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