Chief Pamela Smith said she will step down from her position leading D.C. police at the end of the month, telling reporters Monday, “It’s time.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the move Monday morning, nearly two weeks after saying she herself would not seek a fourth term.
Smith’s last day on the job will be Dec. 31, according to Susan Castillo, a spokesperson for the mayor.
“I’ve been running for 28 years, this has really been a fast paced role because it is in a major city, and I know the challenges that we faced have,” Smith said during a news conference Monday. “We’ve had some some some high points, that we’ve had some low points, but respectfully, right now, this is a personal decision for myself and for my family.”
Smith was nominated to head the department in July 2023, following more than 25 years of experience in law enforcement across the U.S. She became the second woman to lead D.C.’s police force and the first Black woman to take on the role.
While speaking a news conference highlighting the District’s accomplishments in 2025, Bowser reflected on when Smith first became chief.
“The trends the city was facing post pandemic really required somebody with deep experience that could move a very able organization of men and women in MPD, and that’s exactly what she did,” Bowser said.
Within a year, Bowser said, the District opened the Real-Time Crime Center and issued updated technology for officers.
Smith said the District is on track to be at its lowest number of homicides in eight years in 2025.
“We worked with the D.C. Council to pass very needed comprehensive legislation that reset our accountability and public safety ecosystem in the district,” Bowser said. “Chief Smith got all this done while navigating really unprecedented challenges and attacks on the city’s autonomy.”
With a stated goal of reducing crime, President Donald Trump federalized the D.C. police force and deployed National Guard members into D.C. over the summer.
That declaration raised questions about how D.C. police officers would work with the guard members.
Months into the National Guard deployment, one guard member was fatally shot and another was critically injured near the White House. Following the shooting, police officers have been working directly alongside National Guard members on patrol, according to a D.C. police official who spoke to WTOP’s Scott Gelman.
Union response to chief’s departure
The D.C. police union praised Smith’s leadership Monday, while raising questions about her resignation.
“However, 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,” the union wrote in a statement.
Back in August, the Justice Department opened an investigation into whether D.C. police officials falsified data to make crime rates appear lower.
The House Oversight Committee alleged the data was “deliberately manipulated” in an August news release announcing its investigation, which was reportedly prompted in part by a whistleblower.
“These inquiries demand transparency and accountability, and we urge full cooperation to ensure the integrity of our department is upheld,” the union wrote in a statement.
When asked about the union’s letter, Smith said that the decision to resign was a personal one.
“I’ve heard about it, but I have not had an opportunity to read it, and so my decision was not factored into anything with respect other than the fact that it’s time,” she said. “I’ve had 28 years in law enforcement, I’ve had some time to think with my family.”
Smith’s reflects on time as chief
In a statement, Smith said she was “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,” Smith said, who thanked Bowser and the D.C. Council for their “steadfast support throughout my tenure.”
Congressman Oye Owolewa, who represents the District in the U.S. House, thanked Smith for her service.
“Leading a police department in a time of deep national reflection on policing, public safety, and accountability is no easy task. Chief Smith stepped into that responsibility with steady leadership and a focus on the safety of District residents,” Owolewa wrote in a statement.
Calling the job “challenging and rewarding,” Smith said she was “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.”
She called the District “an extraordinary place to live, visit, and work,” adding that she finds the community’s resilience and spirit inspiring.
The Ward 8 resident spent much of her career with U.S. Park Police, where she started in 1998 as a patrol officer and rose through the ranks before being appointed chief in February 2021.
Smith joined D.C. police in May 2022 as its first chief equity officer, tasked with spearheading a diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. She was promoted to assistant chief of the department’s Homeland Security Bureau a year later.
“I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity as Chief of Police. It has been an honor to lead the men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department, and I will always carry with the me the pride of having served this city,” Smith said.
Smith said that while there’s been “tremendous progress,” important work remains ahead.
“I am confident that the department is in a strong position and that the great work will continue, moving in a positive trajectory to combat crime and enhance public safety.”
Looking ahead, she plans to provide support to whoever leads the department next in the transition.
“The next step for me, within the next couple of weeks, is really to just relax, take a moment to relax and reflect on the resiliency of the members of the Metropolitan Police Department,” Smith said.
WTOP’s Matt Small contributed to this report.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
