Good morning, D.C. In today’s newsletter: a D.C. police probe, an unsigned budget and the return of Max Scherzer.
Sign up for the NOTUS Metro newsletter for essential coverage of the D.C. region.
THE LATEST
D.C.’s police department is facing more scrutiny about its crime data.
Trending
According to an investigation by the D.C. inspector general’s office that was released Tuesday, the department has experienced a “prolonged, systemic breakdown” in its crime reporting and lacks adequate controls to ensure its data is reliable.
NOTUS’ Jenny Gathright reports that the investigation adds to a growing list of probes examining crime classification at the police department, an issue that has put city law enforcement in the public spotlight and the Trump administration’s crosshairs.
While past investigations accused department brass of pressuring subordinates to underreport crime, the inspector general’s report tackles more systemic problems in the department that could lead to inaccurate data.
Classifying and reporting crime is one of the central responsibilities of any police department. Crime data informs staffing decisions, helps residents understand what is happening in their neighborhoods and aids the public in holding the government accountable. While the IG’s investigation did not examine whether the city’s crime statistics are accurate, it did find that the department lacks a system for ensuring reporting errors are routinely corrected.
One example: An independent unit responsible for reviewing police reports and crime classifications was shut down in 2013, and the department only recently launched an effort to revive it.
Interim Police Chief Jeffery Carroll took a cooperative tone in response to the findings, agreeing to all of the report’s major recommendations and vowing “strict accountability” going forward.
DEEP DIVE
Muriel Bowser is backing away from the city’s 2027 budget. In what’s mostly a symbolic move, the mayor said Tuesday that she won’t be signing the budget bill for the coming year.
In a letter to D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, Bowser said she was displeased with some of the spending decisions made by lawmakers, accusing them of choosing to “kick the can down the road” on fiscal challenges to come. She specifically warned of an $837 million “fiscal cliff” the city could face next year, when it’s likely to have a new democratic socialist mayor and more progressive council.
Bowser’s decision caps years of growing tension between her and the council over spending. The conflict goes both ways: Lawmakers say that for all the talk of fiscal rectitude, Bowser herself has been more than willing to engage in the same budget gimmicks she’s now criticizing.
Still, lawmakers say they are aware that next year’s budget deliberations will probably be even harder than they were this year. This fall, the council is expected to consider a variety of revenue-raising proposals to address a growing gap between what the city spends and what it takes in. At the same time, Republicans in the House are threatening to prohibit D.C. from considering any tax increases at all.
FROM THE DISTRICT
A key witness testified that the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool’s lining was already seriously damaged by the time former Olympian David Hearn touched it, NOTUS’ Raymond Fernández reports.
Luxury home sales and prices in Washington ticked up this past quarter, Axios DC reports. But the broader homebuying market is softening: Redfin found that last month, sellers outnumbered buyers by 26% in D.C.
FROM VIRGINIA
Loudoun County, home to the world’s densest cluster of data centers, is the latest region to suggest hitting pause on new development while weighing how to regulate the industry, Virginia Business reports.
A $22.5 billion renovation of Dulles Airport, expected to be unveiled by President Donald Trump this week, will scrap the airport’s famous mobile lounge transportation system, CBS News reports. Plans include a major terminal expansion and a new underground aerotrain system.
PLAN YOUR WEEKEND
For the anime fan: Otakon at the Washington Convention Center, Friday.
For the mover and groover: The Funset at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Friday.
For aspiring dancers: Maryland Youth Ballet’s “Sleeping Beauty” at Wolf Trap, Sunday.
For more info on this weekend’s events, read our weekly culture calendar here.
SPORTS
Nationals fans took a brief trip to the past on Monday as Max Scherzer — now sporting a Blue Jays uniform — made what could be his final start in Washington. As NOTUS’ Jesse Dougherty writes, the 42-year-old pitcher provided a reminder of what it means to care deeply about each game.
Are you ready for some football? The Commanders officially open training camp today. Fans will be allowed to attend 11 practices over the next month, including a joint session with the Dolphins on Aug. 12.
What to Watch Today
MLB: Nationals vs. Blue Jays, 1:05 p.m. (MLB.TV)
NWSL: Spirit at Utah Royals, 9 p.m. (NWSL+)
Thank you for reading! If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at metro@notus.com.
The newsletter was produced by Jaden Amos, Michael Errigo and Nikie Johnson. Photo by Samuel Corum/AP. One last thing: that $1.2 million house we showed you yesterday is located in Maryland, and 56% of you guessed that right.
Authors
