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| Has Washington DC crime fallen two weeks on from Trump's takeover? | Has Washington DC crime fallen two weeks on from Trump's takeover? |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Alongside the taxis waiting outside Union Station in Washington DC, the sight of uniformed troops standing next to armoured military vehicles has been greeting passengers getting off their trains. | Alongside the taxis waiting outside Union Station in Washington DC, the sight of uniformed troops standing next to armoured military vehicles has been greeting passengers getting off their trains. |
| It is a striking symbol of President Trump's efforts to tackle a "crime emergency" in the US capital, which has seen his administration take over its police department and send National Guard troops, FBI and ICE agents on to the streets. | It is a striking symbol of President Trump's efforts to tackle a "crime emergency" in the US capital, which has seen his administration take over its police department and send National Guard troops, FBI and ICE agents on to the streets. |
| Trump says his crime crackdown, which began on 11 August, has had an immediate effect: "The numbers are down like we wouldn't believe, but we believe it". | Trump says his crime crackdown, which began on 11 August, has had an immediate effect: "The numbers are down like we wouldn't believe, but we believe it". |
| And he has claimed that it has led to an extended period of time without any murders, a trend he says has not been seen in the city US in decades. | And he has claimed that it has led to an extended period of time without any murders, a trend he says has not been seen in the city US in decades. |
| So what do the crime figures show? | So what do the crime figures show? |
| Violent crime has fallen | Violent crime has fallen |
| There has been a significant fall in overall violent crime since the crackdown started, according to Washington's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). | There has been a significant fall in overall violent crime since the crackdown started, according to Washington's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). |
| It recorded 75 violent crimes from 12-26 August, a drop of 23% on the previous two weeks. | It recorded 75 violent crimes from 12-26 August, a drop of 23% on the previous two weeks. |
| Property crimes, such as burglary and vehicle theft, fell by about a quarter over the same period. | Property crimes, such as burglary and vehicle theft, fell by about a quarter over the same period. |
| There was a smaller fall in the crime of "assault with a dangerous weapon" and an increase in recorded "sex abuse". | There was a smaller fall in the crime of "assault with a dangerous weapon" and an increase in recorded "sex abuse". |
| US crime analyst Jeff Asher says this may not reveal the whole picture though. | US crime analyst Jeff Asher says this may not reveal the whole picture though. |
| "Reporting [of crime] always lags so some of that decline is likely artificial. You probably need six weeks or so for incident-based reporting to catch up and make a comparison of the most recent period." | "Reporting [of crime] always lags so some of that decline is likely artificial. You probably need six weeks or so for incident-based reporting to catch up and make a comparison of the most recent period." |
| MPD figures also show violent crime has fallen in the city over the past fortnight when compared to the same period last year. | MPD figures also show violent crime has fallen in the city over the past fortnight when compared to the same period last year. |
| Trump has repeatedly criticised police figures - which showed violent crime falling in 2024 and so far in 2025 - but we cannot find instances of him publicly rejecting the latest police data showing another fall during his crime crackdown. | Trump has repeatedly criticised police figures - which showed violent crime falling in 2024 and so far in 2025 - but we cannot find instances of him publicly rejecting the latest police data showing another fall during his crime crackdown. |
| More than 1,000 people arrested | More than 1,000 people arrested |
| US Attorney General Pam Bondi has been posting a daily tally of arrests since the DC takeover started. | US Attorney General Pam Bondi has been posting a daily tally of arrests since the DC takeover started. |
| On August 25, she posted there had been 1,007 arrests. | On August 25, she posted there had been 1,007 arrests. |
| She has not given a detailed breakdown but US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said nearly half were "illegal criminals who never should have been in this country to begin with". | She has not given a detailed breakdown but US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said nearly half were "illegal criminals who never should have been in this country to begin with". |
| The MPD said from August 11 to August 25, 2025, it made 1,048 arrests - it would not give a breakdown either. | The MPD said from August 11 to August 25, 2025, it made 1,048 arrests - it would not give a breakdown either. |
| National guard troops standing outside Union Station in Washington DC | National guard troops standing outside Union Station in Washington DC |
| The Office of the US Attorney General for DC, Jeanine Pirro, told us 88% of arrests in this period have led to charges being filed. | The Office of the US Attorney General for DC, Jeanine Pirro, told us 88% of arrests in this period have led to charges being filed. |
| Criminologists caution against citing arrest figures as a successful measure of tackling crime. | Criminologists caution against citing arrest figures as a successful measure of tackling crime. |
| They stress that even if an arrest does lead to a charge, prosecutions can fall apart or the defendant can be found not guilty. | They stress that even if an arrest does lead to a charge, prosecutions can fall apart or the defendant can be found not guilty. |
| Pressure on the court system | Pressure on the court system |
| The impact of the arrests and charges was evident when BBC Verify visited DC's District Court on Tuesday. | The impact of the arrests and charges was evident when BBC Verify visited DC's District Court on Tuesday. |
| Some defendants have found themselves arrested over crimes which would normally be dealt with by a lower court but are now facing federal offences, which generally result in longer jail time. | Some defendants have found themselves arrested over crimes which would normally be dealt with by a lower court but are now facing federal offences, which generally result in longer jail time. |
| Lawyers told us that the court was now struggling to process a bigger caseload. | Lawyers told us that the court was now struggling to process a bigger caseload. |
| We have asked for the latest figures of cases coming through. | We have asked for the latest figures of cases coming through. |
| Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui said from his bench that the criminal justice system in DC "was not keeping up" with the large rise in federal prosecutions being brought. | Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui said from his bench that the criminal justice system in DC "was not keeping up" with the large rise in federal prosecutions being brought. |
| In one hearing, the judge warned suspects were being held in detention for much longer than they should be. | In one hearing, the judge warned suspects were being held in detention for much longer than they should be. |
| "If there's going to be a surge in prosecutions there has to be a surge in the protection of human dignity," he said. | "If there's going to be a surge in prosecutions there has to be a surge in the protection of human dignity," he said. |
| Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui in a debate on justice in November 2024 | Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui in a debate on justice in November 2024 |
| Assistant Federal Defender Tezira Abe told the court her client, Darious Phillips, was "very obviously a victim of this incursion in DC of federal agents". | Assistant Federal Defender Tezira Abe told the court her client, Darious Phillips, was "very obviously a victim of this incursion in DC of federal agents". |
| Mr Phillips was arrested on a gun charge last Thursday and remained in detention five days later. | Mr Phillips was arrested on a gun charge last Thursday and remained in detention five days later. |
| Court documents seen by BBC Verify show the FBI and other federal agents were involved in the arrest, in which a Mac 9 machine gun was allegedly found. | Court documents seen by BBC Verify show the FBI and other federal agents were involved in the arrest, in which a Mac 9 machine gun was allegedly found. |
| Judge Faruqui said he was concerned that the defendant was now on "suicide watch" and had not yet had the opportunity to enter a plea. | Judge Faruqui said he was concerned that the defendant was now on "suicide watch" and had not yet had the opportunity to enter a plea. |
| The prosecutor argued in court that Mr Phillips remains a danger to the public and should stay in pretrial detention, not least because he served five years in jail for shooting a man at a gas station in 2018. | The prosecutor argued in court that Mr Phillips remains a danger to the public and should stay in pretrial detention, not least because he served five years in jail for shooting a man at a gas station in 2018. |
| The Pentagon has sent 20 military lawyers from its Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps to the US Attorney's Office for DC to help with prosecutions. | The Pentagon has sent 20 military lawyers from its Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps to the US Attorney's Office for DC to help with prosecutions. |
| The president has also signed a new Executive Order calling for the hiring of additional civilian prosecutors. | The president has also signed a new Executive Order calling for the hiring of additional civilian prosecutors. |
| US Attorney General for DC Ms Pirro has said tougher sentences need to go hand in hand with the crackdown on crime. | US Attorney General for DC Ms Pirro has said tougher sentences need to go hand in hand with the crackdown on crime. |
| In a statement, she condemned Judge Faruqui's comments and accused him of being soft on gun crime. | In a statement, she condemned Judge Faruqui's comments and accused him of being soft on gun crime. |
| What about murders? | What about murders? |
| On 22 August, Trump told reporters that this is "the first time in anybody's memory, that you haven't had a murder in a week." | On 22 August, Trump told reporters that this is "the first time in anybody's memory, that you haven't had a murder in a week." |
| It is true that in the week Trump was referring to there had not been any homicides (a police term which includes both murder and manslaughter). | It is true that in the week Trump was referring to there had not been any homicides (a police term which includes both murder and manslaughter). |
| However, the homicide-free streak is not as rare as the president claimed. | However, the homicide-free streak is not as rare as the president claimed. |
| DC police figures show there were several similar length periods earlier this year when no homicides were reported. | DC police figures show there were several similar length periods earlier this year when no homicides were reported. |
| This happened in the week between 4 and 11 May, for example, and during the two-week period between 25 February and 13 March. | This happened in the week between 4 and 11 May, for example, and during the two-week period between 25 February and 13 March. |
| Trump said on 25 August that there had been "no murders in 11 days". | Trump said on 25 August that there had been "no murders in 11 days". |
| This was true at the time when the last homicide reported by DC police had been on 13 August. | This was true at the time when the last homicide reported by DC police had been on 13 August. |
| But on 26 August a man was fatally shot in southeast Washington. | But on 26 August a man was fatally shot in southeast Washington. |
| Additional reporting by Phil Leake and Daniel Wainwright. | |
| What do you want BBC Verify to investigate? | What do you want BBC Verify to investigate? |