Trump federalizing DC police, deploying National Guard in capital crime crackdown

Valletta · Monday at 2:16 PM

Hans Blaster said:
So Trump will claim, but I don't think the President has any intrinsic powers to control the Federal District, so if he is not in compliance with statutory law, then what he is purporting to do has no validity.

According to the law a president has 30 to control D.C. police if he makes the proper notices to Congress. Beyond that he must get Congressional approval.

iluvatar5150 · Monday at 2:27 PM

essentialsaltes said:
Redevelop them into casinos?

I hear Atlantic City is doing great these days.

Tropical Wilds said:
I was just there last week for two weeks with one of my kids, relying entirely on Lyft drivers, public transportation (bus, metro), and walking. The city was clean, well-maintained, and felt incredibly safe, even after hours. The traffic was awful, but overall it felt cleaner and safer there than it felt in Boston, Hartford, NYC, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Miami, Orlando, Burlington, Denver, and Oklahoma City. It is your standard big city with big city problems, though certainly not in a way that distinguishes itself as dramatically, or even slightly worse, than any other big city.

Ironically, had this announcement been made before I left, I would have cancelled my son's ticket because this feels suspiciously like the actions of an authoritarian police state and the giant step towards a combustible scenario where it's leadership vs. the citizens. The action feels more unsafe than the problem they're trying to apparently combat...

Unless he's talking about the crime spike that occurred 1/6/21, or the release of violent criminals that occurred on 1/20/25, both of which were his doing... So maybe he should call the National Guard on himself.

Yeah, we were there for a weekend a few months ago. We walked everywhere. It was fine.

durangodawood · Monday at 2:34 PM

wing2000 said:
....What is the emergency?

Whatever he needs it to be.

Valletta · Monday at 2:36 PM

iluvatar5150 said:
I hear Atlantic City is doing great these days.

Yeah, we were there for a weekend a few months ago. We walked everywhere. It was fine.

Cops share photo of 'Big Balls' attacker who beat up DOGE worker

Edward 'Big Balls' Coristine was beaten up during an attempted carjacking in DC on August 3. Two of the teens allegedly responsible were arrested and a third is being hunted by police.

www.dailymail.co.uk

ThatRobGuy · Monday at 2:47 PM

durangodawood said:
Whatever he needs it to be.

Technically speaking, you're not far off with the way the law is worded

Code of the District of Columbia

§ 1–207.40. Emergency control of police.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the President of the United States determines that special conditions of an emergency nature exist which require the use of the Metropolitan Police force for federal purposes, he may direct the Mayor to provide him, and the Mayor shall provide, such services of the Metropolitan Police force as the President may deem necessary and appropriate. In no case, however, shall such services made available pursuant to any such direction under this subsection extend for a period in excess of 48 hours unless the President has, prior to the expiration of such period, notified the Chairmen and ranking minority members of the Committees on the District of Columbia of the Senate and the House of Representatives, in writing, as to the reason for such direction and the period of time during which the need for such services is likely to continue.

Surprisingly, the DC code left that one wide open...one would think they would've added some qualifiers to that. -- so if anything, this will be a lesson learned for them about vague laws.

But ultimately, if the DC metro police were able to do job they're supposed to be doing, this shouldn't be a change of their duties, but rather just additional support from their Federal counterparts.

And for whatever it's worth, it sounds like the Democratic Mayor isn't entirely opposed to this measure.
Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser told MSNBC Sunday ahead of the announcement “we do need the federal government’s help”

...especially in the wake of Michael Pulliam and MPD leadership getting accused of falsifying crime data to make crime trends look better that what they actually are.

DC police commander suspended, accused of changing crime statistics

A D.C. police commander is under investigation for allegedly making changes to crime statistics in his district. The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed Michael Pulliam was placed on paid administrative leave in mid-May. That happened just a week after Pulliam filed an equal employment...

www.nbcwashington.com

It probably also doesn't help that there have been some rather high-profile incidents over the past few years. Apart from this most recent story about the Doge kid getting assaulted, it was just a year or two back when a congressmen got carjacked, and one of Rand Paul's aides got stabbed.

Tropical Wilds · Monday at 2:48 PM

Valletta said:
Cops share photo of 'Big Balls' attacker who beat up DOGE worker

Edward 'Big Balls' Coristine was beaten up during an attempted carjacking in DC on August 3. Two of the teens allegedly responsible were arrested and a third is being hunted by police.

www.dailymail.co.uk

One carjacking constitutes a crime crisis? How many school shootings until we have a gun crisis? Apparently it’s more than 751.

wing2000 · Monday at 3:01 PM

Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington said Trump knew well that D.C. was making improvements in crime. “In every conversation I have with him, we’re always briefing the president on our progress,” she said, noting that even in their first meeting after his re-election, “we went over the crime trends, we went over how we’re seeing decreases, so the president is read in on our efforts.”

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08/11/us/trump-news/47d410df-803e-5429-9d2f-e4ec566a55aa?smid=url-share

Valletta · Monday at 3:09 PM

Tropical Wilds said:
One carjacking constitutes a crime crisis? How many school shootings until we have a gun crisis? Apparently it’s more than 751.

The Washington D.C. Council passed emergency legislation this summer for youth curfew restrictions, and gave the police chief power to declare temporary juvenile curfew zones for four days at a time. So they are trying, and Trump said the mayor is trying, but the kids are out of control.

Nithavela · Monday at 3:22 PM

Valletta said:
According to the law a president has 30 to control D.C. police if he makes the proper notices to Congress. Beyond that he must get Congressional approval.

Perhaps he can define days to mean something else to extend this indefinetely, like congress has done regarding tarriffs limits.

ThatRobGuy · Monday at 3:28 PM

wing2000 said:
Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington said Trump knew well that D.C. was making improvements in crime. “In every conversation I have with him, we’re always briefing the president on our progress,” she said, noting that even in their first meeting after his re-election, “we went over the crime trends, we went over how we’re seeing decreases, so the president is read in on our efforts.”

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/08/11/us/trump-news/47d410df-803e-5429-9d2f-e4ec566a55aa?smid=url-share

...the fact that some of their police top brass have gotten in trouble for falsifying crime data may call some of that into question.

DC police commander suspended, accused of changing crime statistics

A D.C. police commander is under investigation for allegedly making changes to crime statistics in his district. The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed Michael Pulliam was placed on paid administrative leave in mid-May. That happened just a week after Pulliam filed an equal employment...

www.nbcwashington.com

Tropical Wilds · Monday at 3:37 PM

Valletta said:
The Washington D.C. Council passed emergency legislation this summer for youth curfew restrictions, and gave the police chief power to declare temporary juvenile curfew zones for four days at a time. So they are trying, and Trump said the mayor is trying, but the kids are out of control.

Juvenile curfew? For school shootings…? In the summer…? Are you talking about the curfew that went into effect like a week ago? That wasn’t for school shootings, and the curfew is for 11pm, when no schools are open.

Serious question. Y’all even know who you’re being directed to believe is the issue this time, or are you just wildly yelling out demographics like it’s an episode of Who’s Line? Nobody seems coordinated on who to scapegoat this time. It’s either homeless, slums, or ATV riding yutes. Usually you guys are all on the same page on who the monster-of-the-week is.

Valletta · Monday at 3:40 PM

Tropical Wilds said:
Juvenile curfew? For school shootings…? In the summer…? Are you talking about the curfew that went into effect like a week ago? That wasn’t for school shootings, and the curfew is for 11pm, when no schools are open.

Serious question. Y’all even know who you’re being directed to believe is the issue this time, or are you just wildly yelling out demographics like it’s an episode of Who’s Line? Nobody seems coordinated on who to scapegoat this time. It’s either homeless, slums, or ATV riding yutes. Usually you guys are all on the same page on who the monster-of-the-week is.

Actually for large groups of kids in a zone the curfew can be 8 P.M. It's a number of Democrat leaders who are becoming known for "wildly yelling."

Tropical Wilds · Monday at 3:48 PM

Valletta said:
Actually for large groups of kids in a zone the curfew can be 8 P.M.

Oh no, not a large group of kids. And 8pm is well outside school hours.

Valletta said:
It's a number of Democrat leaders who are becoming known for "wildly yelling."

Ah, the ol’ “I know what you are but who am I?” Classic. A favorite of elementary kids the world over.

Pommer · Monday at 3:49 PM

Having police/milatry patrolling the streets and avenues of DC will limit the access of [potential] protestors before the semiquincentennial.

Valletta · Monday at 4:15 PM

Tropical Wilds said:
Oh no, not a large group of kids. And 8pm is well outside school hours.

Who cares if it is outside of school hours? I'm just trying to pass on the facts to everyone in the thread. Sheeesh.

Tropical Wilds · Monday at 4:42 PM

Valletta said:
Who cares if it is outside of school hours? I'm just trying to pass on the facts to everyone in the thread. Sheeesh.

The question was about school shootings, dear, you mentioned the curfew. I’m trying to figure out why you think the curfew in parts of DC equates to Trump doing something about school shootings. Don’t sheesh me because you’re confused about what you said, my dude.

Valletta · Monday at 4:54 PM

Tropical Wilds said:
The question was about school shootings, dear, you mentioned the curfew. I’m trying to figure out why you think the curfew in parts of DC equates to Trump doing something about school shootings. Don’t sheesh me because you’re confused about what you said, my dude.

Here's what I said in post #28: "The Washington D.C. Council passed emergency legislation this summer for youth curfew restrictions, and gave the police chief power to declare temporary juvenile curfew zones for four days at a time. So they are trying, and Trump said the mayor is trying, but the kids are out of control." I am concerned about crime, and juvenile crime, not matter where, is a concerning problem. Here, see the link in regard to the juvenile curfew zones I spoke of:

"Within the Juvenile Curfew Zone, persons 17 and under are prohibited from gathering in a group of nine (9) or more in any public place or on the premises of any establishment unless engaged in certain exempted activities, which are listed here."

Chief of Police Announces Juvenile Curfew Zone in Southwest | mpdc

Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith has announced the establishment of a Juvenile Curfew Zone in Navy Yard. The Juvenile Curfew Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 gives the Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department the authority to order a Juvenile Curfew Zone in an area where large groups of youths...

mpdc.dc.gov

Tropical Wilds · Monday at 4:59 PM

Valletta said:
Here's what I said in post #28: "The Washington D.C. Council passed emergency legislation this summer for youth curfew restrictions, and gave the police chief power to declare temporary juvenile curfew zones for four days at a time. So they are trying, and Trump said the mayor is trying, but the kids are out of control." I am concerned about crime, and juvenile crime, not matter where, is a concerning problem. Here, see the link in regard to the juvenile curfew zones I spoke of:

"Within the Juvenile Curfew Zone, persons 17 and under are prohibited from gathering in a group of nine (9) or more in any public place or on the premises of any establishment unless engaged in certain exempted activities, which are listed here."

Chief of Police Announces Juvenile Curfew Zone in Southwest | mpdc

Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith has announced the establishment of a Juvenile Curfew Zone in Navy Yard. The Juvenile Curfew Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 gives the Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department the authority to order a Juvenile Curfew Zone in an area where large groups of youths...

mpdc.dc.gov

Super.

Still waiting to hear what that has to do with what I said in post 26, or how a summertime curfew after school hours translates to Trump and the mayor doing something about school shootings.

ThatRobGuy · Monday at 5:48 PM

Tropical Wilds said:
Super.

Still waiting to hear what that has to do with what I said in post 26, or how a summertime curfew after school hours translates to Trump and the mayor doing something about school shootings.

What would you expect them to do about school shootings?

Washington DC already has most of the policies in place that gun control advocates recommend.

According to Giffords and Everytown, DC consistently ranks among the strictest (aka "Best" in their view) jurisdictions in the nation for gun safety laws.

- Universal background checks
- "Ghost Gun" prohibitions
- Mandatory licensing for owning a gun
- Mandatory 10-day waiting periods between purchase and possession
- Protection order enforcement/removal
- Mandatory registration of all firearms
- Safe storage laws
- Magazine capacity restrictions
- Ammunition type restrictions
- Assault weapons restrictions

Which ones are missing that the DC mayor should press the DC council to add?

BCP1928 · Monday at 5:58 PM

Don't wonder how they eat or breath
or other science facts
remember that it's just a show
so sit back and relax

Trump federalizing DC police, deploying National Guard in capital crime crackdown

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§ 1–207.40. Emergency control of police.