Andrew Zabavsky
Service Record
Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia
| Rank | Lieutenant[1] |
| Dates of Service | 2003[2] - March 2, 2025.[3] |
| Salary | $100,592 (2018)[4] |
| Last Known Status | Retired[3] |
Zabavsky was on the 2019 list for promotion to Captain.[5]
Commendations
2005 Meritorious Service Medal
Zabavsky received the award during a police ceremony.[6]
2006 Meritorious Service Medal
Zabavsky received the award during a police ceremony.[7]
2008 District Officer of the Year
Zabavsky received the award during a police ceremony, mostly being recognized for his "extraordinary arrest record".[8]
Incident Reports
2019 Crime Reporting
In April 2018, Fourth District Commander Randy Griffin tasked Zabavsky and Captain Franklin Porter with finding "a solution for the theft problem, which was driving up the district's statistics".[9]
Zabavsky and Porter's recommendation was to classify crimes as more minor, as these are not tracked in the D.C. Crime Report and would show a reduction in more serious crime. [9]
On March 12, 2019, Captain Sean Conboy made the recommendation the policy of the agency's Fourth District. Changes including classifying Shoplifting and Theft as "Taking Property Without Right", some Assaults with a Dangerous Weapon as "Simple Assault", and some Robberies as "Theft and Assault".[9]
Sergeant Charlotte Djossou reported the change to the agency's internal affairs office.[9]
Response Timeline
In 2019, an internal investigation was opened.[9]
In 2020, Sergeant Charlotte Djossou sued the department, claiming that she had been punished for speaking out against the reclassifications.[9]
On August 5, 2025, the District of Columbia settled Djossou 's lawsuit.[9]
2020 Death of Karon Hylton-Brown
Response Timeline
The department waited to take Zabavsky off duty until the details of the indictment were known.[1]
The department is planning to suspend Terence Sutton and Zabavsky indefinitely without pay.[1]
On September 23, 2021, Zabavsky was indicted on federal charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice. [2] Zabavsky pleaded not guilty to all charges and was given location monitoring and a midnight-to-6 a.m. curfew.[10]
On September 24, 2021, Zabavsky pleaded not guilty.[11]
On October 20, 2021, the Hylton-Brown's family filed a $100 million lawsuit against the city and five officers, citing violations of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, and seven violations of state law.[12]
On December 21, 2022, Zabavsky was found guilty of conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of justice.[13]
On September 12, 2024, Zabavsky was sentenced to 48 months in prison.[14]
On January 22, 2025, President Donald Trump pardoned Zabavsky.[15]
On March 2, 2025, Zabavsky received back pay as part of a retirement agreement.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 D.C. Police Officer Indicted On Murder, Conspiracy Charges In Death Of Karon Hylton-Brown, dcist, 2021-09-24
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Stamped Indictment, United States District Court, 2021-09-23
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 MPD and the Use of Deadly Force: The Karon Hylton-Brown Case, D.C. Auditor, 2025-07-23
- ↑ Andrew Zabavsky Lieutenant Metropolitan Police Department, GovSalaries, 2018
- ↑ List of Eligible Candidates for Promotion to the Rank of Captain, Metropolitan Police Department, 2019-06-07
- ↑ Awards Ceremony, Metropolitan Police Department, 2005-12-14
- ↑ Awards Ceremony, Metropolitan Police Department, 2006-12-05
- ↑ Awards Ceremony, Metropolitan Police Department, 2009-04-07
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Alana Goodman, A DC Police Sergeant Exposed Her Superiors for Misclassifying Crimes To Make Stats Look Low. The City Just Quietly Settled Her Lawsuit, Washington Free Beacon, 2025-08-14
- ↑ Rick Massimo, DC officers charged with murder, obstruction in scooter driver’s death, WTOP 2021-09-24
- ↑ D.C. officer charged with murder in police pursuit crash that prompted protests, KTLA, 2021-09-24
- ↑ Karon Hylton-Brown lawsuit, United States District Court for the District of Columbia, 2021-10-20
- ↑ Police officers found guilty in fatal pursuit of man on electric scooter, ABC News, 2022-12-22
- ↑ Two MPD Officers Sentenced for 2020 Murder of Karon Hylton-Brown and Subsequent Coverup, U.S. Attorney's Office, 2024-09-12
- ↑ Executive Grant of Clemency for Andrew Zabavsky, White House, 2025-01-22
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