US capital: dispute over police command in Washington is heading to

After US President Donald Trump Washington under decree under federal inspection, there is a dispute about who is in charge in the US capital. The general prosecutor of the federal district, Brian Schwalb, described it as illegal to withdraw their decision -making power to the police directorate or to replace their leadership.

Previously, US Justice Minister Pam Bondi had made it clear that any directives were lying to the Terry Cole, which she had to be emerged at the emergency police president. According to Schwalb, Washington’s police chief Pamela Smith, on the other hand, is not legally obliged to follow the order and to cede her command to Cole.

Due to the supposedly sprawling crime, Trump had stipulated on Monday by decree that the police in the Washington capital were initially under the command of Justice Minister Bondi. In turn, this used the head of the US drug fighting authority DEA, Cole, as police leadership.

Trump bases his decree on a law called “Home Rule Act”, which the police in Washington puts under Federal Command in the emergency. According to Schwalb, the law only provides that the US President Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser can instruct how enforcement authorities should be used.

National Guard patrolled in Washington

In the course of his emergency decree for the capital, Trump also ordered troops from the National Guard to Washington. US media reported off-road vehicles and running patrols near monuments such as the National Mall. Trump’s focus – and thus the law enforcement authorities – mainly migrants who may be illegally in the country, as well as homeless people who camp on the streets and squares of the city.

As US media report, police forces began to clear individual tent camps on Thursday evening and ask the residents to accommodate in homeless accommodation so as not to risk arrest.

Appropriately, Justice Minister Bondi sent reminder letters to so -called “Sanctuary States” on Wednesday, who offer immigrants without papers without papers. Bondi threatened States that the district of Columbia, i.e. Washington DC, also had to reckon with California and New York

What exactly the National Guard troops in Washington should be used for is unclear. The 800 members of the National Guard, which were mobilized to protect DC, were not armed and did not carry out law enforcement measures, said Pentagon spokesman Kingsley Wilson, according to the Washington Post. As part of the measure for which you were activated, you could do so if necessary. “You will not arrest people,” said Wilson.