Declaring a Crime Emergency in the District of Columbia

Summary:
This executive order declares that special emergency conditions exist in Washington, D.C., due to elevated violent crime and its impacts on federal operations. It directs the use of D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) for federal purposes, delegates operational direction to the Attorney General, and establishes monitoring and reporting requirements.

Key Sections:

• Section 1: Findings on rising violent crime in D.C., its effects on federal workers, public confidence, and government operations, with statistics on homicide and vehicle theft rates. Affirms the President’s duty to ensure safety in the nation’s capital.
• Section 2: Services of the MPD are required for federal purposes (maintaining law and order, protecting federal property, ensuring orderly federal functioning) for the maximum period permitted under the Home Rule Act.
• Section 3: Delegates the President’s authority under the Home Rule Act to the Attorney General, and directs the Mayor to provide MPD services as deemed necessary.
• Section 4: The Attorney General must monitor conditions, consult senior officials, provide regular updates to the President, and advise if further action is needed or if the order is no longer necessary.
• Section 5: Severability clause.
• Section 6: General provisions on legal interpretation, implementation subject to appropriations, non-creation of enforceable rights, and publication costs borne by the Department of Justice.

Notable Points:

• Emphasizes protection of federal buildings, national monuments, and federal personnel in D.C.
• Cites 2024 crime metrics to justify emergency measures.
• Centers federal oversight via the Attorney General for MPD deployment specific to federal purposes.