D.C. Police Union Backs Trump’s MPD Takeover

The Washington, D.C. Police Union, which represents over 3,000 officers of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), has released a statement in complete support of President Trump's temporary takeover of MPD in an effort to curb crime in the nation's Capital.

From the statement:

The Union agrees that crime is spiraling out of control, and immediate action is necessary to restore public safety. However, we emphasize that federal intervention must be a temporary measure, with the ultimate goal of empowering a fully staffed and supported MPD to protect our city effectively.

They blamed much of the issues D.C. residents see with crime on laws passed by the District of Columbia city council, citing "chronic mismanagement, staffing shortages, and radical policies that have crippled the MPD."

To achieve this, misguided legislation passed by the DC City Council must be repealed, and we call on Congress and the White House to assist in overturning these detrimental laws.

They cited the takeover as a "necessary step to stabilize the situation, but it is not a long-term solution. The real path forward lies in addressing the root causes of the MPD's challenges, particularly the need for adequate staffing and the reversal of harmful legislation."

The Union Chairman, Gregg Pemberton said in a statement:

We stand with the President in recognizing that Washington, DC, cannot continue on this trajectory. Crime is out of control, and our officers are stretched beyond their limits. The federal intervention is a critical stopgap, but the MPD needs proper staffing and support to thrive. This can only happen by repealing the disastrous policies that have driven out our best officers and hindered recruitment.

The main piece of legislation cited by the D.C. Police Union was the 2020 Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Act, passed shortly after the death of George Floyd. This piece of legislation banned neck restraints and restricted consent searches, both complicating and slowing investigation. It also expanded external oversight, giving the Office of Police Complaints the authority to initiate misconduct investigations on officers even without civilian complaints. Overall, the act prevented the Union from bargaining over disciplinary actions, extended disciplinary timelines, and severely restricted tactics requiring the use of force. However, this was not the only piece of legislation that the Union takes issue with.