WASHINGTON — Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela A. Smith is stepping down. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the news via an email statement early Monday morning.

Smith was named chief of police about two and a half years ago, in July 2023, when D.C. was dealing with rising crime trends. The District was facing a 26-year high in homicides when she began. In her statement, Bowser praised Smith for bringing crime down, and opening the city's Real-Time Crime Center .

“ When Chief Smith stepped up to lead the Metropolitan Police Department, we had no time to waste. She came in at a very challenging time for our community, when there was significant urgency to reverse the crime trends our city was facing post pandemic. Within a year of her tenure, we opened the Real-Time Crime Center.

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