The second highest-ranking official in the Washington, D.C. police department — also named in a probe into the department’s purported underreporting of crime statistics — has been placed on administrative leave, reportedly over “inappropriate” text messages on his work phone.
Executive Assistant Chief Andre Wright, along with his wife, Natasha Wright, an inspector in the department’s human resources, were placed on administrative leave, a department spokesperson Tom Lynch confirmed to the Washington Post.
Unnamed law enforcement officials cited the “inappropriate” texts that surfaced in an internal investigation as the justification for the suspensions, the DC newspaper reported.
According to the Post:
Lynch said that, beyond confirming that both Wrights were placed on administrative leave, the department could not comment on active internal investigations and personnel matters. He also declined to comment on whether the investigations into the Wrights were related to text messages. A spokesperson for D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) declined to comment and referred the Washington Post to the police spokesman’s comments.
Wright’s police powers were also revoked, with the top cop reportedly surrendering his gun and badge Thursday afternoon.
Three D.C. police officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive internal matter, said the disciplinary action was related to the text messages found on Wright’s work phone. The Post could not confirm the contents of those messages.
Former police chief Pamela A. Smith promoted the 32-year police department veteran to his executive position in 2024, the position tasked with overseeing Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) patrol operations citywide.
This week’s suspension may be linked to a previous investigation into DC crime data.
Wright’s name appeared multiple times in a draft report by the Department of Justice on alleged crime statistic manipulation at the department.
Investigators alleged that former chief Smith had created a “culture of fear” that prompted officials to misclassify crimes.
Smith, a 28-year-veteran, and the first African-American woman to be permanently named to the post, held the job for only two-and-half years, resigning in December last year in the wake of the crime statistic scandal.
The GOP-led House Oversight panel alleged that Smith “pressured and at times directed commanders to manipulate crime data in order to maintain the appearance of low crime in the nation’s capital,” Just the News reported.
As part of MPD’s internal investigation, Wright’s cellphone was seized, 4 Washington reported, with multiple sources telling the NBC affiliate Wright was placed on leave at least in part due to what was found on his phone.
The DOJ report into the data tampering “was thin on details about alleged misbehavior by Wright,” reported the Post, which had obtained a copy.
However, the newspaper also reported that according to the report, 21 witnesses provided “derogatory information” regarding Wright and another assistant chief.
In August of last year, President Donald Trump declared the nation’s capital a “crime emergency” and deployed approximately 800 National Guard troops in the city to serve as a crime deterrent and to help clean up homeless encampments.
Contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the best-selling author of the Los Angeles crime novel Below the Line and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more.
