Attorney General Pam Bondi has stripped authority from the Metropolitan Police Department chief and installed a federal emergency commissioner to oversee law enforcement operations in the nation's capital.
Bondi issued a two-page order on Thursday rescinding sanctuary city protections in Washington, D.C., and naming Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terry Cole as emergency police commissioner. According to Fox News, the order titled "Restoring Safety and Security to the District of Columbia" removes power from Metro Police Chief Pamela Smith.
The federal takeover follows President Donald Trump's Monday executive order declaring a crime emergency in Washington and authorizing a comprehensive law enforcement restructuring. Federal agents and National Guard units have become increasingly visible throughout the district as part of the administration's crime crackdown initiative.
Cole now possesses all powers and duties previously held by the local police chief under the emergency appointment.
The DEA administrator can issue general orders, executive orders and written directives affecting all department members across the Metropolitan Police Department.
Existing department leadership must now receive Cole's approval before issuing any directives of their own. This represents a significant shift in command structure from local to federal control over day-to-day police operations.
Bondi's order specifically rescinded three Metro police directives issued within the past two years that limited cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The most recent directive, issued by Smith earlier Thursday morning, had prohibited officers from making arrests based solely on federal immigration warrants.
Smith's order had stated that Metro officers could assist with information sharing about persons not in custody and provide transportation for federal immigration employees. However, it explicitly prohibited personnel from making database inquiries solely for immigration status purposes.
"Members shall not arrest individuals based solely on federal immigration warrants or detainers as long as there is no additional criminal warrant or underlying offense for which the individual is subject to arrest," Smith's order had stated. Bondi rescinded this directive within hours of its issuance, along with similar orders from June 2024 and October 2023.
The police restructuring stems from Trump's crime emergency declaration, which authorized federal intervention in local law enforcement operations. The administration cited rising violence and safety concerns for residents, commuters, and tourists visiting the nation's capital.
Wednesday night operations resulted in 45 arrests, with 29 of those detained being individuals in the country illegally. Multiple federal agencies participated in the coordinated enforcement actions across the district.
"Residents of the District of Columbia, the thousands of Americans who commute into the District for work every day, and the millions of tourists from all over the world who visit our nation's capital have a right to feel safe and to be free from the scourge of violent crime," Bondi's order stated. The federal takeover represents an unprecedented assertion of federal authority over local policing in the nation's capital.
The emergency police commissioner appointment has drawn criticism from local officials who question the federal government's authority to override local law enforcement leadership. Legal challenges to the federal takeover are expected as city officials assert their constitutional authority over municipal police operations.
Cole's background as DEA administrator brings federal drug enforcement experience to the Metropolitan Police Department's leadership structure. His appointment signals the administration's intent to apply federal law enforcement methods to local crime prevention efforts.
The order concludes that any existing Metropolitan Police Department directives conflicting with federal requirements are hereby rescinded. This sweeping language suggests additional policy changes may follow as the federal emergency commissioner assumes full operational control over the department.
