President Donald Trump announced today that his administration is taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., citing what he called “an out-of-control crime crisis” in the nation’s capital.
Speaking from the White House, Trump invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (see below), a 1973 law that allows the federal government to assume command of D.C.’s police force under certain conditions specifically, in times of “public emergency” when local leadership is deemed unable to maintain order. Trump said the National Guard will also be deployed to “restore law and order” and promised to “liberate” the city, framing the move as a response to violent crime, homelessness, and public disorder.
The president described the city in bleak terms, claiming it is overrun by “violent gangs” and “drugged-out maniacs,” and said federal resources, including FBI agents, will be shifted to bolster nighttime patrols.
A Rarely Used Federal Power
The Home Rule Act gave D.C. limited self-governance while keeping ultimate authority in Congress and, in some cases, the president. Federal takeover powers have been used sparingly in the city’s history. Past examples include federal intervention during the 1968 riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., when President Lyndon Johnson deployed thousands of federal troops to restore order. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter briefly considered using these powers in response to another spike in unrest, though it never came to pass.
In modern times, the idea of a federal police takeover has mostly stayed theoretical, until today. Critics say the bar for invoking Section 740 has historically been set extremely high, reserved for moments of genuine crisis that overwhelm local capacity.
Local Pushback
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser immediately challenged Trump’s characterization, calling his remarks “hyperbolic and false.” She pointed to police data showing that violent crime in the District is actually down 26 percent this year, with overall crime also declining.
“We are not experiencing a crime spike,” Bowser said. “The conditions required for federal takeover have not been met.” She questioned whether deploying the National Guard is an efficient use of resources, suggesting instead that investments in prosecutors, judges, and jail infrastructure would better address public safety.
Why Richmond Should Pay Attention
While D.C. is unique in its legal relationship to the federal government, the broader question of outside intervention in local law enforcement isn’t limited to the capital. In Virginia, the governor holds the power to deploy the National Guard or assume temporary control of local policing during declared emergencies. We saw elements of this during the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville and during the 2020 protests in Richmond, when state police and National Guard troops supplemented, and in some cases replaced, local police on the ground.
The D.C. takeover is a reminder that in certain political climates, control over local public safety can shift quickly, sometimes without broad public consensus.
Emergency Control of the D.C. Police — In Plain Terms
- The President can take temporary control of the D.C. Metropolitan Police if he declares a special emergency that requires the police for federal purposes.
- The Mayor must comply with the President’s order and provide the officers and services requested.
- Without extra approval, this takeover can only last up to 48 hours. If the President wants it to go longer, he must notify Congress in writing before that time runs out, explaining why and for how long the takeover will continue.
- Even with that notice, the takeover must end when the emergency ends, after 30 days, or if Congress passes a resolution to stop it, whichever comes first.
- If Congress is out of session when the takeover begins, the 30-day clock starts when they return.
- To keep control beyond 30 days, both the House and Senate must approve it.
Photo by Chris Henry
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