- U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered DEA Administrator Terry (Terrence) Cole to act as MPD’s “emergency police commissioner,” asserting authority over the department’s chain of command.
- D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb issued a formal opinion saying the order is unlawful and that Chief Pamela A. Smith is not required to follow it.
- Mayor Muriel Bowser said the District has complied with law during the federal emergency and that no statute transfers D.C. personnel authority to a federal official.
The Big Picture
The clash escalated late Thursday after Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order claiming emergency authority over the Metropolitan Police Department and naming DEA Administrator Terry (Terrence) Cole as “emergency police commissioner.” In a same-night opinion, D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb said the directive is “unlawful” and that MPD’s chief remains in command. Read Schwalb’s opinion letter.
What’s New
Bondi’s directive says Cole will assume powers and duties vested in the MPD chief and requires MPD to obtain his approval before issuing orders. It also purports to suspend or rescind certain internal MPD directives tied to immigration and public space enforcement, sharpening an ongoing fight over so-called sanctuary policies. The move followed President Trump’s declaration of a D.C. “crime emergency” this week and marks the administration’s most aggressive step yet to assert federal control.
What They’re Saying
Context
Trump declared a federal public safety emergency for Washington, authorizing the Attorney General to oversee the emergency response and require MPD services for federal purposes. The White House fact sheet frames the action as necessary to restore order. Schwalb’s letter counters that Section 740 of the Home Rule Act permits the President to direct the Mayor to provide MPD services for federal purposes but does not authorize removing or replacing the chief, altering MPD’s chain of command, or setting local enforcement priorities.
Crime remains at the center of the political dispute. Independent reviews note that violent crime in D.C. has fallen sharply from a 2023 spike, reaching multi-decade lows, even as specific categories like vehicle theft remain elevated, according to an AP fact check and recent local data analyses.
What’s Next
Legal action is likely. The District could seek an immediate court order to block Bondi’s directive and preserve MPD’s existing chain of command, while the Justice Department may argue broad emergency authority under the Home Rule Act and recent executive actions. In the meantime, Schwalb’s opinion instructs MPD officers to continue following Chief Smith’s directives as the lawfully appointed head of the department, setting up a potential showdown over any conflicting federal instructions.
The Bottom Line
Bondi’s order to install a federal “emergency police commissioner” has met unified resistance from D.C.’s mayor and attorney general. Whether the federal government can go beyond compelling MPD services for federal purposes—and into the District’s internal command structure—now moves from a political fight toward a legal one.
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