Overview
- The federal takeover is authorized by law for 30 days and would need congressional approval to extend beyond August 11
- DOJ oversight will be led by Attorney General Pam Bondi with U.S. Marshal Gady Serralta supervising command-and-control
- Cole, confirmed as DEA administrator in July, must juggle his new MPD role alongside leading 10,000-strong federal drug agents
- Opponents cite January’s DOJ data showing violent crime in D.C. at its lowest level in three decades to question the necessity of the move
- Cole’s two-decade DEA career included overseas postings tied to controversial incidents, and he has pledged to review marijuana rescheduling without committing to a change