Crime in Washington, D.C.: A Dichotomy of Perspectives

On Tuesday, Jeanine Pirro, a U.S. attorney from Washington, D.C., found herself in a rather contentious exchange with a reporter who was trying to minimize the crime surge engulfing the capital.

There’s a lot of focus in the media on data from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), which claims that crime has decreased by 35% since 2024. But, when looking at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) statistics and other sources, that doesn’t seem to align. The reporter pointedly questioned the narrative regarding violent crime rates, suggesting that those who insist “things are getting better” might as well be “deaf.”

“It’s never enough,” Pirro expressed with frustration. “Things are changing, yet we hear the same refrain that crime is going down!” She recounted a conversation with a mother whose child was attacked near McDonald’s at the Washington Convention Center. “You tell a kid with a concussion and a broken nose that crime is decreasing? That just falls on deaf ears, including mine, and that’s why I’m in this fight.”

In a bid to restore order, Trump activated the National Guard and initiated a federal takeover of the MPD. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that, on the first night of this crackdown, law enforcement made 23 arrests for serious offenses, including murder and drug-related crimes.

According to FBI data, violent crime has actually seen a 10% drop since 2024. However, it’s still slightly higher compared to figures from 2018. The discrepancy arises because MPD’s violent crime statistics only cover specific categories, like murder and assaults.

The MPD came under scrutiny when it suspended its police chief in May, leading an investigation into potential manipulation of crime data that suggested a significant decrease. The D.C. Police Union has even alleged that crime statistics were forged to present an overly optimistic picture.

In a tragic story, Eric Tarpinian-Yachim, a 21-year-old intern, was shot near a metro station in June, an incident linked to gang violence. His mother remarked that Trump’s steps in Washington ensured her son’s death “was not in vain.”

Recently, two Israeli officials were fatally shot as they exited the Jewish Museum. The accused, Elias Rodriguez, faces multiple federal charges, including two counts of first-degree murder and hate crimes.

The government is ramping up its crime response after a staff member was seriously injured while attempting to thwart a carjacking. A study from the Rochester Institute of Technology identified Washington’s murder rate in 2024 as the fourth highest in the U.S., overshadowed only by Chicago, New York City, and Atlanta.