On Monday, Washington D.C.'s top cop decided that she was calling it quits as Metro Police (MPD) Chief Pamela A. Smith tendered her resignation. There were just over two years still left on her contract.
What gives?
Thanksgiving weekend in Washington, D.C. saw Mayor Muriel Bowser announce that she will not seek a fourth term. Then came the tragic ambush attack on West Virginia National Guard members Sarah Beckstrom and Andrew Wolfe by an Afghan national. Beckstrom died from her injuries, and Wolfe is now in serious but stable condition. While President Donald Trump's National Guard surge into D.C. brought crime down and set the table for the MPD to have greater effectiveness, the ambush attack and a looming investigation over the MPD doctoring crime stats may have been the straw that broke the camel's back.
Just a reminder that the DC Council voted 13-0 on November 7, 2023 for Pamela Smith to serve a *4-year term* as Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (i.e., through Nov. 7, 2027), so she’s departing a full 23 months early… https://t.co/XFcU80s4c0 pic.twitter.com/K3XKFgXMAP
— Zach Israel (@ZachBIsrael) December 8, 2025
Washington, D.C., police chief Pamela Smith is resigning her position after just two and a half years on the job, she announced Monday.
Smith has faced intense pressure from President Donald Trump's administration, which took over the Metropolitan Police Department earlier this year and deployed federal law enforcement throughout the city.
Dive Deeper: Bowser Bows Out: D.C. Mayor Nixes Bid for 4th Term
Gotcha: Another Nail Just Got Hammered in Bogus 'D.C. Crime Is Down!' Talking Point
From Smith's statement:
I am deeply humbled, grateful, and deeply appreciative of my time with the District of Columbia. Serving as Chief of Police has been the greatest honor of my career, and I want to extend my sincere thanks to Mayor Muriel Bowser for appointing me to this position and to the DC Council for their steadfast support throughout my tenure.
As mentioned above, Smith's tenure has not been uncheckered. After all, the rampant crime, along with the cover-up through the doctoring of stats, partly happened under her watch. As our RedState editor Bob Hoge reported, the city quietly settled a lawsuit by a former MPD sergeant who alleged that she was punished when she spoke out about police leadership's doctoring of crime statistics. The House of Representatives Oversight Committee and the Department of Justice are investigating this crime statistic manipulation, which goes right to the top of MPD.
Read More: More Lies: D.C. Quietly Settles With Police Sergeant Who Sued Over Falsified Crime Stats
Smith's statement continued:
This role has been both challenging and rewarding. I am proud of the accomplishments we achieved together, and I thank the residents of this city for their trust and partnership. While my aspiration has always been to see zero percent crime, we are not there yet. Nonetheless, we have made tremendous progress, and there remains important work ahead.
Odd that she is taking credit for a cessation of crime that had little to do with her leadership. The D.C. Police Union gives Smith plaudits for her years of service and commitment to the role, but with the House and DOJ investigations into the doctored crime statistics, they consider the timing a bit suspect.
The @DCPoliceUnion is questioning the timing of today’s announcement by @DCPoliceDept Chief Pam Smith who is resigning.
— Scott Taylor (@ScottTaylorTV) December 8, 2025
The Union asks “The Union questions the timing of this announcement, which comes amid active
investigations by the House Oversight Committee and the… pic.twitter.com/LDKIOAhuZ0
The @DCPoliceUnion is questioning the timing of today’s announcement by @DCPoliceDept Chief Pam Smith who is resigning.
The Union asks “The Union questions the timing of this announcement, which comes amid active investigations by the House Oversight Committee and the Department of Justice into allegations of manipulation of crime statistics and mismanagement within the MPD.
These inquiries demand transparency and accountability, and we urge full cooperation to ensure the integrity of our department is upheld.”
Just as Bowser's resignation appears to be a convenient move to lay the burden of these investigations in someone else's lap, the resignation of the police chief gives that same appearance. However, with the horrible anti-federal law enforcement messaging emitted from certain cities' law enforcement leaders, like New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, Smith's resignation also appears to be one of expediency. This leaves the path wide open for a leader who aligns with law, order, and cooperation, rather than crime, chaos, and virtue signaling.
Anne Kirkpatrick, the New Orleans police superintendent, says that "being in the country illegally is a civil issue and we will not enforce civil law". Crossing the border illegally is a crime under 8 U.S.C. § 1325. It is NOT a civil issue. Democrats do not know the law! pic.twitter.com/8J6WCK1QSe
— Kim "Katie" USA (@KimKatieUSA) November 25, 2025
This is the WHITE Chief of Police in Minneapolis encouraging citizens to not cooperate with ICE because they could be kidnappers, and implying that his officers would intervene and report on ICE activities.
— john jackson (@pvtjokerus) December 4, 2025
Better bring everyone, Skippy.
pic.twitter.com/iP1xlSXZky
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