There is something both painfully familiar and profoundly enraging about the public and deliberate attempt to discredit, demean, and destroy the reputation of the first Black woman to serve as police chief in the District of Columbia.
As Black women leaders, the attacks on Chief Pamela A. Smith’s character do not surprise us. We’ve seen this movie countless times before — but that does not make it any less infuriating. What did enrage us was reading the assertion that Chief Smith presided over a so-called “coercive culture of fear.” We cannot think of a statement more ludicrous, more disingenuous, or more untethered from reality.
Chief Smith has proven herself to be a leader of integrity. Even during moments of crises, she has been professional, disciplined, and deeply grounded in faith. None of those characteristics align with the caricature of a leader who governs through fear.
What we witnessed instead was a Black woman stepping into one of the most scrutinized leadership roles in the District with fire in her belly and clear-eyed purpose — determined to repair a broken system for the betterment of D.C. and its residents.
Chief Smith shifted the culture of policing toward a more community-centered model — one rooted in presence, accountability, and community well-being. She intentionally created opportunities for other women to build leadership capacity and strengthen their professional résumés. And she prioritized the safety and dignity of our young people, not as an abstract talking point, but as a moral imperative.
That was a far cry from where MPD was three years ago. When Chief Smith arrived, she stepped into a Metropolitan Police Department marred by scandal, allegations of aggressive anti-Black policing and entrenched misogyny. Smith called on MPD officers to do better. That’s not coercion. That’s what D.C. deserves, and we should all continue to demand it of our police chief.
Here is the uncomfortable truth: when systems are exposed — when long-standing power structures are threatened — there is always an equal and opposite reaction. When racism and supremacy sense their grip loosening, when mandates to share power emerge, when truth begins to illuminate long-hidden misconduct, the backlash is swift and vicious. The aim is always the same: to steal credibility, to kill confidence, and to destroy leadership that dares to disrupt the status quo.
As a community, we cannot stand idly by and allow that to happen.
This moment is not about convincing Chief Smith to stay. It is about refusing to allow the lawless gang of unqualified TV personalities working at the Department of Justice to define her legacy. It is about protecting the truth while she is still here and honoring her leadership as she prepares to leave.
Yes, she will go — and yes, we will miss her. We will miss her commitment to a police force that rejects misconduct. We will miss her urging us to “love the hell out of our kids.” We will miss her competent, focused, and deeply caring leadership.
Chief Smith, thank you for your leadership and your service to the District and the people here. Our communities see you, value you, and stand with you.
Even more importantly, together we must let every young Black girl in this city know that we will not stand by while the enemy attempts to destroy us and our efforts. We will challenge false narratives. We will defend our leaders. And we will not allow history to be rewritten at the expense of Black women who dared to lead with courage and conviction.
Not on our watch.
Monica Ray is the founder of Congress Heights Partnership (Soul of the City) as well as the Kiongozi Leadership Collective. Cora Masters Barry is a civic leader, professor, wife and mother.