The Trump administration escalated its control over policing in Washington, D.C., on Thursday by naming the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration as the city’s emergency police commissioner.
DEA Administrator Terry Cole was given all the powers of the D.C. police chief under a directive issued by Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to Newsweek report.
The move gives the federal government direct authority over local law enforcement in the nation’s capital.
According to Bondi’s order, Cole will take over all duties assigned to the D.C. Chief of Police, according to The Time report. The directive states that the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) must now get approval from Cole before issuing any orders. The status of current Police Chief Pamela Smith, who reports to the mayor, was not immediately addressed.
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D.C. attorney general rejects federal police takeover
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb called the directive “unlawful” and said the city’s police department is not required to comply. In a memo to Chief Smith, Schwalb wrote that MPD officers should continue following orders from city leadership, not federal appointees.
Mayor says no legal basis for federal control over city personnel
Mayor Muriel Bowser said there is no legal basis for giving a federal official control over city personnel, according to New York Times report.
{{/usCountry}}Mayor Muriel Bowser said there is no legal basis for giving a federal official control over city personnel, according to New York Times report.
{{/usCountry}}The federal order followed an earlier directive from Smith, instructing officers to share information with immigration authorities about individuals not in custody.
Bondi said she opposed the order, calling it part of the city’s sanctuary policies. She announced that she was rescinding that directive, along with other MPD policies that limited cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. All future police directives must now be approved by Cole, Bondi said.
This move expands federal authority over the D.C. government. The Trump administration cited emergency powers and legal provisions to support the takeover. Despite claims of a public safety crisis, D.C.’s homicide rate remains lower than that of many large US cities.
Federal forces, including the National Guard and multiple agencies, increased their presence throughout the city Thursday.