• The Justice Department is investigating claims of manipulated crime data by DC police officials.
• Commander Michael Pulliam has been placed on administrative leave amid allegations of data falsification.
• President Trump claims DC has distorted crime statistics to create a false sense of safety.
• Mayor Muriel Bowser emphasizes that the data manipulation concerns center on one commander.
• The outcome of this investigation could affect federal oversight of the DC police department.

The Justice Department has opened an investigation into whether police officials in Washington, D.C., have manipulated crime data to suggest a misleading drop in crime rates. The inquiry is reportedly overseen by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, and aims to determine what federal laws may have been violated due to this possible data manipulation, according to HuffPost and India Times.

The investigation follows the placement of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) commander Michael Pulliam on paid administrative leave due to allegations of altering crime statistics. Pulliam has denied any wrongdoing related to these allegations. Meanwhile, Mayor Muriel Bowser's office expressed that concerns regarding the manipulation of crime data stemmed from investigations into one specific commander, while crime rates in D.C. have generally declined, according to Le Monde and Newsweek.

President Donald Trump has publicly criticized D.C. for presenting "fake crime numbers" to create a "false illusion of safety," asserting that this manipulation poses significant public safety risks. His administration's response has involved deploying National Guard troops to the city, framing the investigation as a necessary measure for maintaining law and order in light of these allegations, as noted by SCMP and HuffPost.