Thirteen Washington, D.C., police officers are being disciplined in connection with a probe into data apparently being manipulated to make the city's crime rate to appear lower, according to interim Metropolitan Police Department Chief Jeffrey Carroll.

The officers have been given termination papers and placed on administrative leave but have not been fired because they are entitled to an appeals process. 

Carroll has not publicly identified the officers, including four high-level officials, under protection of the investigation and punishments being a "personnel matter," according to NBC Washington.

"The administrative process must be allowed to take its course, and that process is outlined in our MPD general orders," he said. 

Still, he argued the department has, in fact, reduced crime in recent years.

"Let me be clear, we have made meaningful progress over the last three years in reducing crime. Homicides, shootings and carjackings have fallen steadily since 2023."

The expected terminations come after the Justice Department conducted an investigation last year that concluded that MPD crime statistics were “likely unreliable and inaccurate," and that former Police chief Pamela Smith created a “coercive culture of fear.” She has denied the allegations. 

Three of the four high level officials worked directly with Smith and includes her second-in-command and at least one assistant chief who oversaw patrol in half of D.C.

The internal review of the manipulation of D.C. crime data is not expected to be publicly released, but an internal report is expected to be shared with the House Oversight Committee, though it has not been shared so far. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.