Outgoing Washington, D.C., Police Chief Pamela Smith ended her tenure Friday with an unexpected and profane address during her final press conference, departing from prepared remarks to confront critics directly and reflect on her time leading the Metropolitan Police Department.

Smith, who announced last week that she would step down as chief, said she “dared not leave” without speaking to what she described as her “haters.”

During the event, she invoked her religious upbringing and church involvement, arguing that criticism of her leadership had not shaken her faith or personal convictions.

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“I dare not leave without saying something to my haters. Listen, I know you taught me well. We were raised in the church, Bible study, Sunday school, BTU choir rehearsal, Wednesday night Bible study, Tuesday night Bible study, children’s choir, you name it,” Smith said.

“There’s enough Jesus in me that’s going to get me to heaven if I die tomorrow. But watch this, you’ve taught me well. And I just need you to just follow me with this just for a few moments, mom. Don’t, don’t, because listen, I listen to her even at 50-something years old.”

Smith then escalated her remarks, delivering a profanity-laced message aimed at those who had criticized her during her tenure, before shifting into what she framed as a declaration of forgiveness rooted in Christian teachings.

“So I’m going to the Bible when I say this to my haters. F you. No, it’s not a drop-the-mic moment. Watch me in this space. I forgive you,” Smith said.

“I forgive you. Because the Bible makes it very clear. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, when he said to his father, even in the pit of agony and defeat, he said, ‘Forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

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Smith’s remarks came as she prepares to leave her post as chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia.

She has served in the role since July 2023 and is scheduled to step down at the end of December 2025, bringing her tenure to roughly two and a half years.

Her time as chief unfolded amid heightened scrutiny of crime and public safety in the nation’s capital.

In recent months, tensions escalated between the White House and Washington’s local leadership over law enforcement and crime policy, with President Donald Trump repeatedly criticizing conditions in the city and warning of what he described as a “tragic emergency” involving violent crime.

Those tensions came to a head in August, when Trump briefly moved to assert federal control over the city’s police department.

At that time, he deployed the National Guard and appointed a federal emergency commissioner, a move that placed Smith’s leadership under national attention. Days later, Trump reversed course, allowing Smith to remain in charge of the department.

Throughout her tenure, Smith faced sustained criticism over crime levels, policing strategy, and her handling of public safety concerns, while also receiving support from city officials and allies who defended her leadership.

Her final press conference, however, marked a sharp departure from typical closing remarks for an outgoing police chief, drawing attention not to policy or accomplishments, but to her personal response to critics.

Her resignation will take effect as scheduled at the end of December 2025, concluding a chapter marked by public controversy, federal intervention threats, and an unusually candid farewell address that immediately drew attention for its tone and language.

BREAKING : Pamela Smith, the District of Columbia’s first Black female police chief, appointed under DEI priorities, has resigned.

This coming shortly after not being able to tell a reporter what ‘chain of command’ means pic.twitter.com/6hheO46twv

— Officer Lew (@officer_Lew) December 8, 2025

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