Federal authority cooperation with D.C.'s law enforcement extended by the city's mayor's order
In a bid to address the ongoing homelessness crisis in Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser has issued an order that outlines a comprehensive action plan. The plan, which includes collaboration with several federal agencies, aims to improve public safety, justice, city improvement, and economic stability.
According to the action plan, the National Guard and the Department of Homeland Security will play significant roles. The National Guard will be patrolling the city, with law enforcement actions including managing homeless encampments and enforcing immigration laws. The Department of Homeland Security, on the other hand, will cooperate with over 900 local police departments to assist in law enforcement.
It's important to note that the director of policy at Miram's Kitchen, a nonprofit that supports homeless people, has stated that they do not want the individuals they serve to perceive them as part of the problem or complicit with those making them move.
The exact location of those individuals prior to coming into shelter remains unknown. However, the D.C. Mayor recently released a census of homeless people around the city, a move aimed at improving resources.
Advocates for the homeless have expressed concerns that the removal of homeless encampments has stretched resources thin. According to the Mayor, approximately 80 additional individuals have entered the District's shelter system since the start of the surge.
The Mayor's order does not imply a need for a Presidential emergency. Instead, it lays out a framework for exiting the existing emergency, with the emergency ending on Sept. 10th. The order does not extend the Trump emergency but provides a pathway for exiting it.
The post-emergency planning includes regular working with several federal law enforcement agencies, including the United States Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Park Police, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Capitol Police, and United States Secret Service, according to the order.
The order also specifies that federal law enforcement officers should not wear masks, clearly identify their agencies, and share identification when making arrests. SBEOC will focus on public safety and justice, beautification, and finance and economic resilience, according to Bowser.
It's worth mentioning that the D.C. mayor issued this order on Tuesday, directing police to continue cooperation with federal law enforcement officers. The order will continue moving homeless people and those in encampments into shelter and housing.
However, the only way the emergency can be extended legally is by Congress, according to the Mayor. This underscores the need for continued dialogue and collaboration between local and federal authorities, non-profit organisations, and advocates for the homeless to ensure a comprehensive and humane approach to addressing the homelessness crisis in Washington, D.C.
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