Key Points
- Washington interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said 13 officers have been placed on administrative leave.
- The leave is linked to an internal investigation into how the department keeps crime statistics.
- The matter has also been examined by Congress and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
- The internal review began earlier this year after a referral from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
- CNN reported that the officers face possible termination, while Carroll said no one had yet been fired.
- Some of the officers were already on leave for other matters before this investigation.
- Reports cited allegations that crime data may have been manipulated to make the city appear safer.
Washington (Evening Washington News) May 5, 2026 – Washington interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll said Tuesday that 13 officers have been placed on administrative leave in connection with an internal investigation into how the Metropolitan Police Department keeps crime statistics, with the issue also drawing scrutiny from Congress and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
What did Jeffery Carroll say about the leave?
As reported by Gary Fields of the Associated Press in Police1, Carroll said the officers were placed on administrative leave on Monday following an investigation that began earlier this year after a referral from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He said the action was tied to an internal review of the department’s crime-statistics practices.
CNN’s Holmes Lybrand reported that Carroll announced the conclusion of the internal investigation during a press conference on Tuesday, but declined to give detailed findings. CNN also reported Carroll’s statement that “No one was terminated yet” and that some officers had already been on leave for unrelated reasons before this probe.
What is the investigation about?
The investigation centres on allegations that crime data may have been manipulated or reclassified in a way that made the city appear safer than it was. Fox 5 DC reported that investigators were looking into whether some crimes had been reclassified to lesser offences and whether reports or statistics had been revised.
The AP report said the matter has been looked into not only internally, but also by Congress and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. That wider scrutiny suggests the issue has moved beyond an internal personnel matter and into a broader public and legal examination.
Which officers were affected?
Fox 5 DC reported that Assistant Chief LaShay Makal and Second District Commander Tatjana Savoy were among the officials placed on administrative leave. The station said the Metropolitan Police Department did not explain why the two were removed from duty.
Fox 5 DC also said two officials familiar with the matter identified Makal and Savoy as among those facing possible discipline in the investigation. The report said Makal declined to comment, while Savoy was not reachable on Monday.
Why does the case matter?
This case matters because crime statistics influence public trust, policing priorities and how city safety is judged by residents, lawmakers and federal authorities. If data are later shown to have been altered or misclassified, that could raise questions about reporting practices across the department.
CNN reported that Donald Trump had previously cited allegations of falsified crime figures as part of his justification for increased federal law enforcement presence in Washington last summer. That adds a political dimension to the case, even though the department’s current action is framed as an internal disciplinary and investigative matter.
What did the department confirm?
According to the AP report, Carroll confirmed that 13 officers were on administrative leave but did not provide detailed findings from the probe. CNN reported that the officers were placed on leave pending possible termination, although no final dismissals had been announced at the time of Carroll’s briefing.
The AP and CNN accounts both indicate that the department has taken formal internal action, but the exact outcome of the investigation remains unresolved. That means the case is still developing and may lead to additional personnel actions or official findings later.
Background of the development
Questions about Washington crime data have been building over time, with the issue drawing attention from lawmakers and federal prosecutors before this latest administrative action. The current investigation began earlier this year after a referral from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, according to the AP report.
Fox 5 DC reported that investigators are examining whether crimes were downgraded to lesser offences and whether statistics were changed to make the city’s crime levels appear lower. CNN similarly reported allegations that crime data was manipulated to make the city appear safer.
The fact that multiple outlets reported the same basic timeline, but with slightly different details, shows the story is still unfolding. At this stage, the confirmed facts are that 13 officers are on leave and the internal review has reached a disciplinary phase.
Prediction: How could this affect the audience?
For Washington residents, the immediate effect is likely to be continued scrutiny of whether crime figures presented to the public are accurate and transparent. If confidence in the statistics weakens, people may rely more heavily on direct experience, local reporting and neighbourhood-level information when judging safety.
For police officers and city officials, the investigation may lead to tighter reporting procedures, further staff discipline or broader reforms in how crime data is handled. For lawmakers and federal authorities, the case may keep pressure on the department to explain how statistical decisions were made and who approved them.
