Washington's police commander dispute escalatesfurther - Escalating dispute over police leadership in Washington continues.
In a move aimed at enhancing law enforcement in Washington, US President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency and invoked the Home Rule Act to claim federal control over the city's police department. However, the legal and practical authority remains primarily with the D.C. Mayor and Police Chief, with the Attorney General coordinating federal use during the declared emergency.
Under the Home Rule Act, the President can instruct the Mayor, Muriel Bowser, on how to deploy law enforcement agencies in case of an emergency. The police can be placed under federal command, but the President does not have the authority to directly control the police department or appoint a new police chief in Washington.
The President delegated the authority under Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was authorized to oversee and direct the use of the Metropolitan Police for federal purposes. This means the Attorney General acts as the federal official coordinating the department's involvement with federal efforts, but does not replace the local control and command structure.
The D.C. Mayor and Attorney General, as well as D.C. officials, have opposed this federal takeover attempt and have taken legal action to defend D.C.’s Home Rule and local control of the police. The US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Brian Schwalb, considers it unlawful for the police department's decision-making authority to be stripped or for its leadership to be replaced.
Despite Trump's announcement to place the D.C. police under federal control, the current authority over the Washington D.C. Police Department remains legally under the control of the D.C. Mayor and Police Chief Pamela Smith. Smith, as the locally appointed Police Chief, leads the MPD operations.
National Guard troops have been deployed to Washington as part of Trump's state of emergency declaration. However, these troops are not armed and are not conducting law enforcement activities, according to Pentagon spokesman Kingsley Wilson. They are patrolling near landmarks like the National Mall, with the focus on migrants who may be in the country illegally and homeless people camping on the city's streets and plazas.
The dispute over who calls the shots in the US capital's police department escalated due to Trump's decree and Bondi's appointment of Cole as police chief. However, according to Schwalb, Washington's police chief, Pamela Smith, is not legally bound to comply and hand over command to Cole.
On Thursday evening, police began dismantling individual tent encampments and urging residents to seek shelter in homeless shelters to avoid arrest. The legal implications and potential consequences of the ongoing dispute over the police command in Washington remain unclear.
| Authority Figure | Role in MPD Control | Notes | |--------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------| | D.C. Mayor (Muriel Bowser) | Retains legal control of MPD | Must provide MPD services for federal use when requested under Section 740[1][4]| | Police Chief Pamela Smith | Retains command of MPD | Local appointee, leads MPD operations[1][2][5]| | U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi | Oversees federal use of MPD for emergency purposes | Delegated authority by Trump to direct MPD services for federal purposes[4]| | President Donald Trump | Claimed federal control under Section 740 | Attempt largely limited by statute and court rulings[1][2][4]|
- Despite President Donald Trump's decree, the current authority over the Washington D.C. Police Department remains legally under the control of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Police Chief Pamela Smith, who remains the locally appointed police chief leading the MPD operations.
- U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was authorized by President Trump to oversee and direct the use of the Metropolitan Police for federal purposes, acts as the federal official coordinating the department's involvement with federal efforts, but does not replace the local control and command structure.
- National Guard troops have been deployed to Washington as part of Trump's state of emergency declaration, but these troops are not armed and are not conducting law enforcement activities, focusing instead on patrolling near landmarks and dealing with issues such as migrants and homeless people.
