DC police Chief Pamela Smith to step down

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith is stepping down after two years, according to an announcement from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday morning.

“I am deeply humbled, grateful, and deeply appreciative of my time with the District of Columbia,” Smith said in a statement. “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 appointment me to this position and to the DC Council for their steadfast support throughout my tenure.”

Smith was appointed in 2023 and is the first Black woman to serve as chief of the D.C. police department.

Smith and Bowser’s statements didn’t say when the chief would depart or who might replace her. Bowser recently announced she will not run for reelection.

Bowser released a statement on Monday, saying Smith was appointed during a “challenging time” for the D.C. community, where the focus was to drive down crime. She listed some of Smith’s accomplishments while working with her, such as opening the Real-Time Crime Center, while “navigating unprecedented challenges and attacks on our city’s autonomy.”

“Chief Smith dramatically drove down violent crime, drove down the homicide rate to its lowest levels in eight years, and helped us restore a sense of safety and accountability in our neighborhoods,” Bowser said in the statement. “We are grateful for her service to Washington, DC.”

In her statement, Smith said the role was both challenging and rewarding and thanked D.C. residents for their “trust and partnership.” Despite her goal of no crime in the city, she said the District made “tremendous progress, and there remains work 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. Washington, DC is an extraordinary place to live, visit, and work, and I remain inspired by the resilience and spirit of this community,” Smith said in her statement.

Smith’s career as chief of police

Before becoming chief, Smith had 25 years of police experience at the federal and local levels. She served as the chief of the United States Park Police, MPD’s first chief equity officer and as assistant chief of the Homeland Security Bureau.

In 2023, D.C. experienced its most violent year in nearly two decades after a hike in homicides and carjackings. The crime led to congressional hearings and resulted in new crime legislation from Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council. They authorized police tactics including designating drug-free zones in high-crime areas.

In the first two-and-a-half months of 2024, the overall crime rate went down 17%. Smith credited the new crime law and new deployments of officers for the drop in crime.

Over the summer, Smith issued youth curfew zones to keep young people from gathering at night after a rowdy night in Navy Yard.