Photo by furcafe.

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier was certainly on the offensive during a sit-down interview with TBD’s Bruce DePuyt on Tuesday, vigorously defending her department’s handling of crime statistics.

“[Fratenal Order of Police head Kris Baumann] just must not understand crime stats,” Lanier claimed, in response to a question about the validity of MPD’s numbers. (The FOP and Baumann have often accused MPD of underreporting crime statistics.) “The FBI just completed an audit of my crime statistics…we passed with flying colors,” Lanier boasted, adding that MPD is “the most transparent police department in the country.”

Scott McCabe at the Examiner was curious about the validity of Lanier’s claims, especially light of the various statistical disagreements which have surfaced over the past few years. McCabe contacted Lanier’s office for more information. His findings? “[Lanier’s] spokeswoman said the report that purportedly supported the chief’s claim of transparency was not available.”