From Fox News: The nation’s capital reached an agreement with President Donald Trump’s administration after suing over federal authorities’ takeover of the city’s police force.
The decision came on Friday afternoon, hours after the Trump administration named DEA chief Terry Cole as the new emergency head of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Ultimately, both sides agreed to block Cole from assuming the role, while effectively returning the department to Police Chief Pamela Smith. Cole is now required to go through Mayor Murial Bowser before directing the MPD, but Bowser is still mandated to adhere to requests made by Cole.
Under the agreement, the Trump administration retains control of the police force.
Trump’s deployment of federal authorities in Washington D.C. sparked the legal battle, with the city seeking a restraining order to block an executive order aimed at taking over the local police force.
Trump’s attorney argued that removing Smith from her post was justified by an immigration order that neglected to provide financial aid to federal authorities, and that the ability to determine what type of help the MPD must provide is within presidential authority.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, a Biden appointee, said the law doesn’t permit Trump to take over the city’s police force broadly but acknowledged that it does grant him more power than the city might like.
The Department of Justice has now revised its order, referring to Cole as Administrator Cole instead of Interim Commissioner.
Trump holds the distinction of being the first president to control the capital’s police department since the Home Rule Act in 1973. The Act granted the city the autonomy to elect its own council and mayor, but gives the president a 30-day limit on control without congressional approval.
LEGAL BATTLE: DC attorney general sues Trump over police takeover efforts
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