The Justice Department and Washington authorities reached an agreement on Friday regarding control of the US capital’s police department, following President Donald Trump’s decision to place it under federal control to combat violent crime.
The deal was finalized during a federal court hearing held after the District’s attorney general sued the Trump administration, calling the move a “hostile takeover” of the city’s police force.
Earlier in the week, Trump had placed the Washington Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) under federal control and ordered the deployment of 800 National Guard troops. Subsequently, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order to install Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief Terry Cole as “emergency” police commissioner.
In response, Washington Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit, arguing that federal law “does not authorise this brazen usurpation of the District’s authority.” At the court hearing, District Judge Ana Reyes urged both sides to find a solution. They agreed that Cole would not assume direct control but would instead issue directives through the mayor’s office. “He’s going to have to go through the mayor,” Judge Reyes stated.
Following the hearing, Schwalb welcomed the agreement, stating, “My expectation is that the key issue with respect to control and command of our MPD has been resolved today, and that it is clear as a matter of law that it is under the chief of police appointed by the mayor.” He added, “We don’t need a hostile takeover from the federal government to do what we do every day.”
Washington’s Unique Status
Unlike the 50 states, Washington, D.C., has a special relationship with the federal government that limits its autonomy and gives Congress significant control over local matters. Since the mid-1970s, the Home Rule Act has allowed residents to elect a mayor and city council, though Congress still controls the city’s budget.
The predominantly Democratic city is often criticized by Republican politicians who claim it is plagued by crime, homelessness, and financial mismanagement. However, data from Washington police show significant drops in violent crime between 2023 and 2024, following a post-pandemic surge. Mayor Bowser stated earlier this week that violent crime was at its “lowest level in 30 years.”
Trump also expressed his intent to address homeless encampments and move those sleeping in public “FAR from the Capital.” According to government statistics from last year, Washington ranks 15th among major US cities in terms of its homeless population.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump this week described Washington as “under siege from thugs and killers,” with higher crime rates than “many of the most violent Third World Countries.” However, local residents rejected this characterization. As 81-year-old Larry Janezich told AFP, “It’s totally false, and obviously promulgated on his media to justify an unwarranted exercise of federal power.”
