WASHINGTON — A new draft of a Justice Department investigation claims DC Police crime data was manipulated to make the city appear safer . The draft of the report was obtained by the Washington Post , which said the investigation cited thousands of police reports and interviews with more than 50 witnesses.

According to the Washington Post, the report found that DC Police Chief Pamela Smith created a "coercive culture of fear," which allegedly incentivized officers to manipulate crime statistics.

The draft of the report claims DC Police crime statistics are "likely unreliable and inaccurate" due to the purposeful downgrading of crime classifications. The Washington Post reporting said the draft was circulated days after Chief Smith announced she would be stepping down.

"This is a per

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