Police Complaints Board Releases Reports on Federal Law Enforcement Presence and Mid-Year Complaint Data

(Washington, DC) - The District of Columbia Police Complaints Board (PCB) and the Office of Police Complaints (OPC) today released three reports examining the impact of increased federal law enforcement presence in the District of Columbia and complaint activity through the first half of Fiscal Year 2026.

In response to concerns raised by community members and the D.C. Council, the PCB is issuing a series of recommendations aimed at maintaining public trust during this period of collaboration with federal partners.

The first two reports in the series examine the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers operating alongside federal law enforcement partners as part of the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force and highlight the need for consistent documentation and adherence to existing policies. In these situations where federal officers may not be subject to the same recording or reporting requirements, MPD officers are often the primary source of documentation.

The PCB is recommending that MPD reinforce requirements to ensure all stops, searches, and arrests are fully and accurately documented, and that officers strictly comply with BWC activation and usage policies in accordance with all related directives and legislation.

Across these reports, the PCB emphasizes that accurate documentation, including complete and timely police reports and consistent use of body-worn cameras are essential to creating a reliable record of police encounters, supporting thorough investigations, and ensuring accountability. These practices are particularly critical as MPD officers operate alongside federal partners, where gaps in documentation or recording can limit transparency and weaken public confidence.

The FY26 Mid-Year Report provides additional context on the impact of these joint operations and shows increased complaint activity during the first half of the fiscal year. Between October 2025 and March 2026, OPC received 587 formal complaints, a 25% increase, and initiated 308 new investigations, a 71% increase. OPC completed 376 investigations during that period, representing a 15% increase compared to the same time last year.

The report also provides new data on complaints involving federal partners. OPC found that 103 complaints across Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026 involved federal partners, with 61% of complainants identified as Black. The most common allegations in these cases were harassment, followed by use of force, and 91 cases included BWC footage recorded by MPD officers. The data also shows that most complaints involving the Federal Task Force originated from Wards 4, 5, and 8.

In addition, OPC found that while 84% of cases included BWC footage, 11% involved some form of non-compliance, such as cameras not being activated or being activated late.

"Accountability depends on having a clear and complete record," said Marke D. Cross, Executive Director of the Office of Police Complaints. "When MPD officers are operating alongside federal partners, accurate reporting and body-worn camera compliance are essential to ensuring transparency and maintaining public trust."

The full reports are available on OPC's Policy Recommendations and Mid-Year Reports section of the website.