In Washington, D.C., there is a complex relationship between the local D.C. government, the federal government, and the agencies responsible for protecting the capital of the United States. This complexity often stems from the overlap of jurisdictions and responsibilities between multiple local, federal, and specialized agencies.
Which law enforcement agencies are responsible for Washington D.C.’s security?
Washington, District of Columbia (D.C.) is the capital of the United States. Often referred to as “Washington”, “D.C.”, or “The District”, it houses many federal government agencies and buildings, including the U.S. Capitol Building, the White House, the Supreme Court and the federal officials who work in them, including the President, members of Congress, Supreme Court Justices, and other appointed officials.
Despite having 700,000 residents — a greater population than Vermont and Wyoming — D.C. does not have statehood. This leaves the government structure under a unique mix of federal and local control. There are more than 10 law enforcement agencies that operate in Washington, D.C, each serving a different purpose.
Which law enforcement agencies in Washington D.C. are under local control?
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Department of General Services’ Protective Services Division (PSD) fall under local D.C. government control.
MPD’s approximately 3,500 officers work under their Chief of Police and the Washington D.C. Mayor. Their jurisdiction covers 68 square miles and 700,000 D.C. residents. MPD is the closest equivalent to your local police department.
The PSD is tasked with the protection of D.C. municipal buildings and the people and resources within them. The PSD also assists both federal and municipal law enforcement in special events and criminal investigations.
Which law enforcement agencies in Washington D.C. are under federal control?
Numerous federal law enforcement agencies operate in Washington, D.C.
1. The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) has more than 2,000 officers who protect the buildings in the U.S. Capitol Complex and share responsibility for the land surrounding it with MPD, the local police. The Capitol Police Board and U.S. House and Senate Appropriations and Authorizing Committees jointly authorize and oversee the Capitol Police. Officer Eugene Goodman, who was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for saving numerous members of Congress in the Senate chamber from the rioters, is a Capitol Police officer.
2. In charge of policing all National Parks across the country, the U.S. Park Police (USPP) are the law enforcement responsible for the Memorial Parks and National Mall. The National Mall is not a real mall; it’s the land stretching from the U.S. Capitol on the East, the Lincoln Memorial on the West, the White House on the North and the area around the Tidal Basin on the South. It includes several national monuments and memorials and borders several governmental buildings. In Washington, D.C. the few hundred permanently stationed USPP Officers have the same powers and duties as the D.C. Metro Police. In fact, the USPP typically fulfills the role of “the frontline law enforcement agency during protests and demonstrations in the National Mall and outside the White House.”
3. The U.S. Secret Service protects our nation’s highest elected leaders, visiting foreign heads of state, and national security events. This includes securing and protecting the buildings where these individuals are, such as the White House and the Capitol.
4. The D.C. National Guard (DCNG) is the official “protector of the District of Columbia.” Every state, as well as four territories (D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), has its own National Guard, which responds to domestic emergencies. Since D.C. is a territory rather than a state, the D.C. National Guard reports directly to the U.S. President. Other states’ National Guards report to their state Governors.
5. The Federal Protective Services (FPS) is the uniformed police division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. They protect the physical buildings and property of the federal government, including the Capitol building.
6. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) works to prevent domestic and international terrorism and espionage; protect civil rights; and combat public corruption, significant cybercriminal and transnational criminal operations, violent crime, and white-collar crime. The Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence jointly oversee the FBI, which is headquartered in D.C. and has about 400 offices across the country and 60 more throughout the world.
7. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) works within the U.S. Department of Justice to protect the public from crimes related to the controlled substances and weapons included in the agency’s name. ATF is headquartered in Washington, DC with 25 offices across the country and 12 across the world.
8. The U.S. Marshals Service, the first federal law enforcement agency in the U.S., is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice that serves as the enforcement arm of the federal courts, including 94 U.S. District Courts and 12 circuits of the U.S. Court of Appeals. Marshals enforce decisions made by judges and justices in court decisions in addition to protecting the federal judicial process, including protecting federal judges, court officials, witnesses, jurors, the visiting public, and prisoners. For example, after the Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education held that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, U.S. Marshals protected Black students integrating into public schools. U.S. Marshals often support MPD and the Secret Service at large D.C. events, such as Inauguration Day.
Do any of these agencies ever work together?
Different D.C. law enforcement agencies, like the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the U.S. Capitol Police, and the FBI, work together during major events such as presidential inaugurations and motorcades, for investigations into security breaches, and when responding to incidents like active shooter situations or suspicious packages.
For example, in response to the coordinated attacks on the U.S. Capitol that took place on January 6th, local and federal law enforcement agencies coordinated to help secure the Capitol building.
The local DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) planned to coordinate with the federal agents of the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), U.S. Park Police (USPP), and the U.S. Secret Service to cover the planned protests. Despite the presence of multiple law enforcement agencies, the protests escalated to riots that breached the perimeter of the U.S. Capitol and threatened the lives of members of Congress, their staff, members of the press, security officials, and others in the building.
Which of these agencies came to the aid once the Capitol was breached on January 6?
The moment the mob breached the Capitol, breaking through police barricades in a coordinated attack to overrun law enforcement lines, U.S. Secret Service Headquarters issued an emergency alert calling all Secret Service agents to help secure the Capitol. A similar alert was sent over the police mutual aid radio system used by all federal, state, and municipal law enforcement agencies in the Washington, D.C. region.
Agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms responded with reinforcements. Officers and the National Guards from the neighboring states of Virginia (at 3:30 p.m.), Maryland (at 3:47 p.m.), and New Jersey (at 4:57 p.m). were also deployed. By 5:45 p.m., after nearly four hours of rioting and looting, officers from the various agencies had established a security perimeter around the Capitol.
Have there ever been any threats to the authority of Washington D.C.’s local law enforcement?
Yes, there have been multiple incidents of federal overreach, particularly through actions like the federalization of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the deployment of the National Guard.
In August 2025, President Donald Trump temporarily federalized the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) for 30 days and deployed approximately 2,000 National Guard troops to Washington D.C. under an executive order declaring a “crime emergency” despite statistics showing declining crime rates in the District. While the Trump administration claimed the National Guard was deployed to simply assist local law enforcement, the District of Columbia (D.C.) claimed that when the out-of-state National Guard troops arrived, the Department of Defense and Department of Justice seized command and control by ordering the troops to become deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service to perform law enforcement functions.
The President’s executive order was extended multiple times, drawing criticism for undermining local control and dismantling community trust.
What can we do to ensure the security of D.C. and prevent future acts of federal overreach?
1. Investigation and Accountability: When events like those that took place on January 6th happen, it is important that we hold our leaders responsible. For example, Rock the Vote called for an investigation into the failed security that enabled a rebellious mob of white nationalists to engage in the January 6th insurrection and to hold individuals accountable.
2. Statehood for Washington, D.C.: Threats such as the handling of the Capitol riots and the deployment of the National Guard have led to renewed calls for D.C. statehood to ensure fair representation and authority to make decisions that protect its community. D.C. Statehood is a civil rights issue, particularly as the District is majority-minority and its residents do not have the same rights as those in other parts of the country. Reach out to your Senators and Representatives and encourage them to support D.C. statehood. You can find your federal representatives and their contact information here.
3. Justice and Police Reform: Offices like Sheriff, District Attorney, and Mayor — which play a crucial role in determining criminal justice and policing decisions made in your community — are elected at the Municipal level. Make sure you use your voice and vote if your community has local elections this year by signing up for election reminders here.
Published April 6, 2021. Updated April 24, 2026.