DC Police Chief Praises Trump's Federal Assistance

Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith on Wednesday praised the federal assistance her department has received recently that is helping crack down on crime in the capital city.

Law enforcement has arrested more than 100 people in Washington, D.C., since President Donald Trump on Monday announced his assumption of direct federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Fox News reported.

Smith, a Democrat, said the additional help has been welcomed because her officers have been stretched thin over the amount of crime in the city. A recent report found Washington, D.C.'s homicide rate is the fourth highest in the country.

“Remember, you’re talking about 500 additional personnel in the District of Columbia,” Smith told WTTG-TV. “As you know, we’ve talked about the fact that we’re down in numbers with our police officers, and so this enhanced presence clearly is going to impact us in a positive way.”

The MPD currently has about 3,150 officers, which comes after the department saw a deep exodus during the "defund the police" movement in 2020, according to the Washington Times.

The surge in arrests includes 43 people who were arrested on Tuesday alone. Officials said more than 1,450 authorities were involved in Tuesday’s crackdown, including 750 officers from the MPD.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has been critical of the federal takeover, also said the assistance is welcomed while they try to recruit more officers. Bowser said she is hoping to employ a total of 3,800 officers to cover the district.

“To the extent that you see the federal surge getting more arrests, taking more guns, MPD officers would do the same thing,” Bowser said. “We need to be very, very focused on how we recruit, retain officers. How we make sure our policy environment promotes accountability for people who use guns in our city, and those things combined will make our city safe.”

MPD union Chairman Gregg Pemberton endorsed Trump's federalization of the district's police force on Monday, admitting crime in the city is "out of control."

“We stand with the President in recognizing that Washington, D.C., cannot continue on this trajectory. Crime is out of control, and our officers are stretched beyond their limits," he said. "The federal intervention is a critical stopgap, but the MPD needs proper staffing and support to thrive."