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Chief Pamela Smith to remain in control of MPD
D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith will remain in control of the Metropolitan Police Department after D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit Friday.
WASHINGTON - D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith will remain in control of the Metropolitan Police Department after D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit Friday challenging what he called an unlawful attempt by the federal government to seize control of the city’s police force.
The suit targeted President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi who named Terry Cole, the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, as Washington’s "emergency police commissioner" on Thursday.
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DOJ, DC agree Chief Pamela Smith to remain in charge of DC police
D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith will remain in control of the Metropolitan Police Department after D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit Friday challenging what he called an unlawful attempt by the federal government to seize control of the city’s police force.
What they're saying:
Attorneys for the District of Columbia and attorneys for the Department of Justice reached an agreement Friday while in court in front of Judge Ana Reyes.
"Officials are elected and accountable to the residents of the District of Columbia to stand up for Home Rule in our law. Even the President of the United States, even the Attorney General of the United States, needs to comply with the law. And the Home Rule Charter and the Home Act is very clear with respect to when the President can request limited services of MPD, limited by time, limited by emergency circumstances, and limited for federal purposes," said Schwalb. "In all cases, those services must be requested to the mayor to be provided by the chief of police, not a hostile takeover of our police."
"We are grateful for the hard work that was done when we received an order late into the evening, yesterday evening, that we read as plainly against the Home Rule Charter," said Bowser.
READ MORE: DC Attorney General rejects federal move to replace police chief amid Trump takeover
The backstory:
Schwalb filed the lawsuit early on Friday.
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DC AG files lawsuit to block federal takeover of police department
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit Friday challenging what he called an unlawful attempt by the federal government to seize control of the city’s police force.7
"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," said Attorney General Schwalb in a statement Friday. "The Administration’s unlawful actions are an affront to the dignity and autonomy of the 700,000 Americans who call DC home. This is the gravest threat to Home Rule that the District has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it."
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The Source: Information in this article comes from the D.C. Attorney General's Office and previous FOX 5 reporting.