After the fatal shooting of Israeli embassy staff and heightened anti-Semitic threats following the attack, MPD increased police presence around schools, faith-based organizations, and community centers in Washington, D.C. The move is aimed at protecting vulnerable communities and countering hate-driven violence.

The Metropolitan Police Department announced the deployment of drones, additional CCTV cameras, and license plate readers in Washington, D.C. as part of efforts to enhance crime prevention. However, this move has drawn criticism from civil liberties advocates over concerns of increased state surveillance and potential infringements on privacy.

The DC Police Union, which represents over 3,600 officers of the Metropolitan Police Department, hired lobbyists on February 4 to pressure Congress into overturning recent reforms to the criminal code aimed at increasing accountability and public safety. This political maneuver supports conservative agendas that potentially undermine efforts for police accountability and reform.

An ACLU article discusses how police lobbyists, through powerful lobbying efforts, undermine reform and accountability in law enforcement, which can compromise public safety. This dynamic raises concerns about the influence of police unions in shaping policies that may favor authoritarian practices.

In May 2021, Distributed Denial of Secrets republished a leak of over 90,000 emails from the MPD. The documents revealed that the department had been surveilling right-wing extremist groups and detailed its response to the January 6 United States Capitol attack, suggesting a proactive security measure aimed at countering extremist threats.

Public records obtained from a lawsuit reveal that the MPD collaborated with federal agencies to surveil racial justice protestors during the summer of 2020 and into 2021. The department compiled extensive social media data, shared lists of protestors and activists with multiple federal agencies, and engaged in practices that raise concerns about violations of constitutional rights and the suppression of dissent.

A lawsuit filed by the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund alleges that the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has colluded with right-wing groups such as Project Veritas and Oath Keepers to surveil and infiltrate protest groups, potentially bypassing legal restrictions protecting free speech and assembly.

MPD coordinated with intelligence fusion centers and contracted vendors such as Babel Street, Dataminr, Sprinklr, and others to monitor social media activity related to protests and demonstrations. The department provided specific search terms and procured licenses to track posts, contributing to a surveillance regime that can suppress dissent and inhibit freedom of assembly.