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MPD chief says curfew zones reduced late‑night gatherings and denies reporting 'cover up'
Summary
MPD Chief Pamela A. Smith told a D.C. Council roundtable that seven juvenile curfew zones this summer stopped large gatherings without producing curfew arrests; she also disputed a Washington Post article alleging an MPD cover-up in a federal officer-involved shooting.
Chief Pamela A. Smith testified that the juvenile curfew emergency amendment authorized three principal tools: expanding coverage to 17‑year‑olds, moving the citywide curfew start hour to 11 p.m., and allowing the chief to declare juvenile curfew zones with extended hours beginning as early as 8 p.m. She said she authorized seven zones in July and August and that MPD used outreach—maps, posters and palm cards—to inform youth before contact.
"I authorized 7 curfew zones in July and August," Chief Smith said, adding that "MPD did not cite any youth for curfew violations in the zones during the active hours of 8PM to 11PM, nor were there any large gatherings." She described an approach led by the department's youth and family engagement teams, supplemented by the Office of Criminal Intelligence when social-media flyers indicated a planned takeover.
Separately, Chief Smith addressed reporting in the Washington Post that alleged an MPD cover-up in a federal officer shooting. She disputed the account and urged readers to consult court transcripts, saying the article mischaracterized testimony and departmental reporting processes. "There was no cover up," she said on the record, explaining how body-worn camera footage and reports are managed and shared with prosecutors in officer‑involved shooting cases.
The chief repeatedly emphasized that the department used the curfew tool to prevent harm and avoid arrests: "It is never the intent to arrest our young people... When we had the juvenile curfew zone in place... we wouldn't arrest our young people. We would pick them up. We would take them to YSC and we would ask the parents to come and pick them up." Committee members asked follow‑up questions about federal partner involvement, internal training for juvenile interactions, and metrics used to decide zone placement; the chief said she would provide additional details on federal involvement and pending data requests.
The committee did not vote. Members said they wanted more written data from MPD before deciding whether to reauthorize the emergency measure for another 90 days.
