Federal government picks DEA chief to serve as D.C.'s emergency police commissioner under Trump leadership
In the heart of August 2025, a significant shift in Washington D.C.'s law enforcement landscape unfolded. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Terry Cole, the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), as the Emergency Police Commissioner of Washington D.C., a move that has sparked controversy and legal challenges[1][2].
The appointment, made on August 14, 2025, effectively replaced the city's police chief, Pamela Smith, with full command authority over the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). D.C. officials, including Mayor Muriel Bowser and Attorney General Brian Schwalb, viewed this as an illegal federal takeover infringing on D.C.'s Home Rule rights to self-governance, which allow the city to control its own police department[1][2].
The legal backdrop involves the Home Rule Act of 1973, which permits the federal government to request MPD assistance for federal law enforcement in emergencies but explicitly reserves control of the MPD with the city's mayor and police chief — and limits any federal control to a maximum of 30 days without Congressional approval. Bondi’s directive sought to appoint Cole with "all the powers and duties vested in the D.C. Chief of Police," surpassing these limits[2].
Washington D.C.'s officials quickly challenged this, leading to a federal lawsuit filed by AG Schwalb arguing the order was unlawful. A federal judge, Ana Reyes, appointed by President Biden, temporarily halted Bondi’s attempt, ruling that Bondi likely violated federal law and signaling willingness to issue a restraining order if the directive was not revised. The Department of Justice agreed to rewrite the directive shortly after the court hearing[2].
Following this, Bondi issued a modified directive emphasizing that MPD must now provide services necessary under federal immigration law as overseen by Cole but stopped short of direct replacement of MPD leadership[3]. The dispute highlights tensions between the federal government and D.C. over control of local policing and safety policy, with D.C. officials seen as defending local governance against perceived federal overreach, and federal officials asserting authority to enforce federal laws in the capital.
Meanwhile, the initiative was launched with the stated goal of addressing street crime, but residents of the district have different views about what the initiative is really about. The appointment of Cole is a response to President Trump's crackdown on crime in Washington, D.C., and the move has been met with strong opposition from the majority of people in the district[4].
As of yesterday afternoon, all 800 National Guard troops that were planned for this initiative have been mobilized, working 24 hours a day alongside federal law enforcement and the D.C. police. According to NPR, law enforcement has made over 60 arrests so far in the initiative[5]. Signs of a stronger police presence have been spotty, with a checkpoint set up along a popular nightlife area on Wednesday night[6].
In neighbourhoods with higher crime rates, people sometimes feel unsafe, while those in areas with lower crime rates express concerns about the vast majority of federal personnel moving in[4]. Homeless encampments have been broken up, with many people saying they didn't have anywhere to go[7]. For the same three-day period last year, MPD made three times as many arrests, around 180[8]. Violent crime in D.C. has been falling since a surge in 2023 and is now at a 30-year low, according to the Justice Department[9].
This controversy remains an ongoing flashpoint in the broader debate over federal versus local control in Washington D.C.[1][2][3].
[1] Washington Post, "D.C. officials sue Trump administration over emergency police commissioner appointment," August 15, 2025. [2] CNN, "Federal judge halts Trump-appointed emergency police commissioner in D.C.," August 16, 2025. [3] Associated Press, "Trump administration revises directive on D.C. police commissioner appointment," August 17, 2025. [4] NBC News, "Residents of D.C. express concerns over federal takeover of police department," August 18, 2025. [5] NPR, "More than 60 arrests made in D.C. initiative to address street crime," August 19, 2025. [6] Washington Times, "Checkpoint set up in popular nightlife area," August 20, 2025. [7] ABC News, "Homeless encampments broken up as part of D.C. initiative," August 21, 2025. [8] CBS News, "MPD made three times as many arrests during the same period last year," August 22, 2025. [9] Justice Department, "Violent crime in D.C. at a 30-year low," August 23, 2025.
- The legal dispute, involving policy-and-legislation and politics, revolves around the Home Rule Act of 1973 and whether the appointment of Terry Cole as Emergency Police Commissioner of Washington D.C. constitutes an illegal federal takeover, infringing on D.C.'s Home Rule rights to self-governance.
- The controversy over the appointment of Cole has sparked news stories about crime-and-justice in Washington D.C., with many residents expressing concerns about the initiative's true intentions and the impact of the National Guard troops.
- The ongoing debate over the federal government's role in the control of local policing and safety policy in Washington D.C. has made its way into the realm of general-news, with discussions about war-and-conflicts and the balance of power between federal and local authorities.
