WASHINGTON, D.C. NEWS – Trump administration expands federal control over Washington, D.C. police, appoints emergency police commissioner

Ananya Roy, News Writer

In a major escalation of federal oversight in the nation’s capital, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed DEA chief Terry Cole as Washington, D.C.’s “emergency police commissioner” on Thursday, effectively granting him full authority over the city’s police department. The order requires senior officers to seek Cole’s approval before issuing any directives and places him in command for the duration of President Donald Trump’s declared emergency. This move follows days of uncertainty over the chain of command, despite Chief Pamela A. Smith maintaining earlier this week that she remained in charge under Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s administration.

Bondi’s directive also implements significant policy changes for D.C. law enforcement. New orders lift restrictions on officers’ ability to question residents about immigration status and authorize full cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Additionally, the police are now directed to rigorously enforce a city law that criminalizes continued obstruction during public demonstrations after dispersal orders are issued. The changes mark a sharp shift in the city’s policing policies and further solidify federal control amid ongoing political tensions.