By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a directive late on Thursday naming Drug Enforcement Administration head Terry Cole as the "emergency police commissioner" of Washington's Metropolitan Police Department.

Attorney General Pam Bondi tapped the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief Thursday to serve as Washington’s “emergency police commissioner,” a move to wrest power from the District’s current police chief amid the Trump administration’s law enforcement takeover.

"Commissioner Cole shall assume all of the powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police," Pam Bondi said on Aug. 14.

The head of the DEA has been given the powers of D.C.’s police chief, part of a Trump administration law enforcement takeover that’s bringing more federal agents and National Guard troops into the city.

New order will have DEA head serve as the designee of the attorney general for the purposes of requesting service.

Amid Trump’s push to reduce crime by sidelining the district's home rule status, Pam Bondi tapped DEA chief Terry Cole to assume MPD chief duties.

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued an order Thursday that amounted to a reversal of "sanctuary" policies in D.C. The District sued over the order Friday.

President Donald Trump announced earlier this week the decision to federalize Washington, D.C., as he cited crime and violence.