Europe Asia News

According to an agreement announced early Friday evening, the US capital’s Metropolitan Police Department will remain under the control of Police Chief Pamela Smith, rather than Terry Cole, the top official at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

In a revised directive issued late Friday by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, the DC mayor was instructed to “provide Metropolitan Police Department services as deemed necessary and appropriate by the Attorney General,” with Cole being referred to as “the designated person.”

According to Bondi’s two-page order, these services will include assisting federal immigration enforcement, in violation of the “sanctuary city” policies that restrict the DC Metropolitan Police Department’s activities on immigration matters.

Friday’s agreement will also allow the Trump administration to use Metropolitan Police Department officers in emergencies for federal purposes.

The agreement came after Washington DC on Friday sought an emergency injunction against what it described as the Trump administration’s “hostile takeover” of the police department. US District Judge Ana C. Reyes signaled that if the administration did not amend the agreement by Friday evening, she would issue a temporary injunction restricting the Trump White House from taking over the DC Metropolitan Police Department.