In a significant move, Attorney General Pam Bondi has appointed Terry Cole, the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as the "Emergency Police Commissioner" in Washington, D.
C.
This decision comes amid President Donald Trump's initiative to assert federal control over the capital's law enforcement. Bondi's directive, issued on Thursday, grants Cole the authority to assume the "powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police."
Consequently, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is now required to seek approval from Commissioner Cole before issuing any directives.
The implications of this appointment for Pamela Smith, the current police commissioner, remain unclear. Meanwhile, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb has criticized Bondi's directive, labeling it as "unlawful" and advising the police to disregard it. "Therefore, members of MPD must continue to follow your orders and not the orders of any official not appointed by the Mayor," Schwalb stated in a memo addressed to Smith.
As reported by Breitbart, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser also expressed her disapproval, asserting on social media that "there is no statute that conveys the Districts personnel authority to a federal official."
This federal intervention follows President Trump's order for federal law enforcement officers to patrol Washington, D.C., for a week to address rising violent crime. The U.S. Park Police will lead this federal presence, which will include officers and agents from the FBI, DEA, ATF, divisions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and other agencies, according to the Hill.
This action is part of a broader strategy outlined in a March executive order that established the Making D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force. The task force aims to ensure effective federal participation in enforcing immigration laws, redirect resources to apprehend and deport migrants in Washington, and monitor the city's sanctuary status to ensure compliance with federal immigration laws.
The federal officers will be operating in marked units, a move that has sparked a range of reactions. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser described the president's order as "unsettling and unprecedented." She remarked, "And while this action today is unsettling and unprecedented, I cant say that given some of the rhetoric of the past that were totally surprised."
Bowser emphasized her commitment to ensuring the support of federal parks with law enforcement and other activities, as well as maintaining economic stability through rational federal actions concerning the federal workforce.
In contrast, the D.C. police union has expressed support for the President's directive. Gregg Pemberton, the union's chairman, stated, "We stand with the President in recognizing that Washington, DC, cannot continue on this trajectory. Crime is out of control, and our officers are stretched beyond their limits," as reported by WUSA's Spencer Allen.
This endorsement highlights the ongoing debate over the balance of power between local and federal authorities in addressing crime and maintaining public safety in the nation's capital.
Login