Chief Pamela Smith and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) acknowledge receipt of the Auditor’s report released today regarding the Karon Hylton-Brown case. One of the report’s central concerns is Chief Smith’s departure from the findings of the Internal Affairs investigation and the termination recommendation issued by MPD’s Disciplinary Review Division (DRD). However, the audit does not account for a critical development: both the Internal Affairs report and the DRD recommendation were issued prior to the members being pardoned and the criminal cases against them being dismissed with prejudice.
At the time, Internal Affairs and DRD were bound to consider the prosecution’s arguments and the criminal verdicts then in effect. Once those cases were dismissed, MPD conducted a comprehensive administrative review, including evidence that had been excluded from the criminal trial. That review found no indication of criminal conduct—either during the attempted stop and pursuit or in the members’ subsequent actions.
Furthermore, because the members were pardoned while their cases were still under appeal, MPD could no longer rely on the criminal convictions when determining disciplinary outcomes. As a result, MPD proceeded with administrative cases focused on policy violations and imposed discipline in accordance with its established disciplinary framework.
MPD communicated its legal obligations under DC Circuit Court precedent regarding pardons in its July 9, 2025, response to the Auditor. That binding precedent remains unaddressed in the audit.
Chief Smith and MPD remain committed to upholding best practices in law enforcement. Notably, the majority of the audit’s recommendations pertain to areas already covered by MPD policy and integrated into current practice. MPD will continue to maintain and strengthen these standards. Other recommendations—such as the suggestion that the Chief of Police directly engage with Internal Affairs investigators and the disciplinary director—were declined due to the potential chilling effect on the independence of these essential oversight functions.
MPD has submitted a detailed response to the audit, including its rationale for decisions made in this administrative matter, which can be found here.