Attorney General Bondi Appoints Emergency DC Police Commissioner, Sparking Federal-Local Power Struggle
Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Terry Cole as Washington's emergency police commissioner, granting him broad authority and rescinding immigration directives, sparking significant opposition from DC officials.
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Overview
- Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Terry Cole as Washington's emergency police commissioner, a move that immediately faced significant opposition from DC's mayor and local police department.
- Commissioner Cole received broad authority, mandating all Metropolitan Police Department leaders, including the chief, to obtain his explicit approval before issuing any new directives.
- Attorney General Bondi also unilaterally rescinded existing police directives specifically concerning immigration enforcement, making their re-issuance contingent upon Commissioner Cole's explicit approval.
- The decision to appoint an emergency commissioner and unilaterally alter police directives has been met with strong criticism and pushback from various DC officials.
- This situation highlights a significant power struggle between federal and local authorities regarding the control and operational policies of Washington's police force.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story by emphasizing the D.C. government's perspective, portraying the federal action as an "unlawful" and "hostile takeover." They highlight concerns about threats to "Home Rule" and public safety, while consistently countering the Trump administration's stated justifications with D.C. officials' counter-arguments and crime statistics.
"Trump is reportedly the first president to federalise the MPD, but the government has sought to intervene in DC policing before."
BBC News"These unlawful assertions of authority will create immediate, devastating, and irreparable harms for the District."
CBS News"By declaring a hostile takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its limited, temporary authority under the Home Rule Act, infringing on the District’s right to self-governance and putting the safety of DC residents and visitors at risk."
NBC News"The police takeover is the latest move by Trump to test the limits of his legal authorities to carry out his agenda, relying on obscure statutes and a supposed state of emergency to bolster his tough-on-crime message and his plans to speed up the mass deportation of people in the U.S. illegally."
Associated Press"Trump's extraordinary moves in Washington are reflective of how he has approached his second term in office, shattering legal concerns to test the limits of his office's power."
USA TODAY"Attorney General Pam Bondi further cemented the Trump administration's takeover of D.C. law enforcement Thursday by shifting decision-making authority from its police chief and handing it to the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration."
NBC News"Cole’s assignment comes less than a month after the U.S. Senate conformed him to be the DEA’s leader and he was sworn in as head of the agency."
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FAQ
Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order appointing Terry Cole as the emergency police commissioner, asserting authority over DC police leadership; however, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has declared the order illegal, indicating a contested legal basis for the appointment.
Terry Cole is the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and was named by Pam Bondi as the emergency police commissioner for Washington, DC's Metropolitan Police Department.
Bondi rescinded existing Metropolitan Police Department directives related to immigration enforcement and mandated that all MPD leaders, including the chief, obtain Terry Cole's explicit approval before issuing any new directives.
DC officials, including Mayor Muriel Bowser, have strongly opposed the appointment, labeling it illegal and expressing significant concerns about federal overreach into local police operations.
The appointment highlights a significant power struggle between federal and local authorities over control and operational policies of Washington's police force, underscoring tensions regarding jurisdiction and governance in the district.
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