As D.C. grapples with a crime crisis, the mayor announced her pick for the next chief of the Metropolitan Police Department: law enforcement veteran Pamela Smith.
Smith will become the first Black woman to permanently serve as D.C.'s police chief. With 25 years of police experience at the federal and local levels, she has served as the chief of the United States Park Police, as MPD’s first chief equity officer and as assistant chief of the Homeland Security Bureau.
When asked at a news conference Monday morning what her top priority will be as chief, Smith said: "Drive down crime." She said she offers a fresh perspective and a passion for public safety.
“The community wants the police to be the police and do so in a constitutional, safe and respectful manner. Make no mistake about it: I will be laser-focused to ensure we do everything we can in this space,” she said.
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New police chief Pamela Smith cited 4 ways she will lead D.C. police to cut crime:
- Targeting the deployment of officers to areas affected by crime
- Engaging in long-term investigations focused on the most violent people
- Leveraging a whole-of-government approach
- Insuring the effective use of police officers
Smith said MPD already has many good practices in place and that she will aim to amplify successes and find solutions.
“She is resilient and ready for this role,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said.
Smith said in an exclusive one-on-one interview with News4 that residents can expect to see her often.
"What I want folks to know about Pamela Smith is that I will be a visible chief. I will conduct safety walks in all of our districts, PSAs. I will meet folks probably at inopportune times. Folks will see me showing up in places and spaces, not because other chiefs have not but because I live here and it’s important to me that the members feel safe in the District,” she said.
Smith will take over amid alarming crime, including deadly shootings of children and a surge in carjackings. Violent crime is up 36% this year so far, compared with the same period last year, with 2,062 reported crimes last year and 2,810 this year. Homicides are up 18%, with 113 people killed last year and 133 people killed this year.
She takes over a department of more than 3,000 officers as violent crime makes many feel unsafe. While she has two-and-a-half decades of law enforcement experience and years of experience with the Park Police, that department isn’t faced with pressures of a big-city police department such as murders and carjackings.
Union president says Smith's biggest challenge will be staffing
The D.C. police union supported Bowser’s choice. President Greg Pemberton said
he’s “excited” and “very optimistic.” He said Smith’s biggest challenge will be staffing.
“I think it’s promising,” he said. “I think she understands that right now the Metropolitan Police Department is in a crisis, particularly as it pertains to manpower and staffing, and as long as she is willing to admit that, I think that we have the ability to address that. I think this is one of those things the union and management can work together on to solve.”
As recently as March, former Chief Robert Contee said the department had a net loss of about 450 officers since 2020.
Pemberton blames the attrition on the D.C. Council.
“The city council has passed such onerous legislation through the Policing and Justice Reform Act that it’s impossible to go out and do your job, and I’m talking about professional, responsible, constitutional policing,” he said. “Officers can’t do that anymore without risking their lives, without risking their career, without risking criminal, administrative, civil penalties.”
Pemberton cited the number of arrests officers are making in the city.
“For example, from 2008 to 2018, it averaged around 40,000 to 45,000 arrests per year,” he said. “The number that we average now is around 15,000.”
Pemberton said the only way to turn it around is to have the D.C. Council rewrite some of the language in the bill they passed in June 2020.
News4 reached out to Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Council member Charles Allen for comment and is waiting to hear back.
Police Chief Smith leads with empathy
Smith introduced herself as an Arkansas native who overcame a “childhood marked with turmoil and challenges,” including addiction in her family and years in foster care.
“I stand here today as someone who, as a child, I had no hopes, I had no dreams. They were far beyond my reach. But I believe that all things are possible,” she said with passion.
She was ordained as a minister nearly 20 years ago and serves as a youth pastor.
As a high schooler, Smith was a three-time All-American in track. Before beginning her career in law enforcement, Smith worked as a social worker and a probation officer. She said she joined the Park Police at 30 after an officer on horseback urged her to apply.
Smith will take over for former chief Robert Contee, who left the department this year for a job with the FBI. Ashan Benedict has led as interim chief.
Bowser said earlier this year that she would conduct a nationwide search for the next chief. She said Monday that she reviewed a "tremendous number" of candidates from D.C. and elsewhere.
Smith was sworn in Monday as acting chief of police and will need to be confirmed as chief by the D.C. Council.
She said on Monday that cutting crime is her focus but she wants to inspire young women too.
"Today I have a message for young women who are watching this today: No matter where you come from, no matter your challenges that you face or the adversity that is in your way, if you choose to serve in law enforcement or any other career, you become an integral part of any community,” she said.
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