Events of Interest: Hearing on DC Mayor’s Order Expanding Police Powers (Feb. 6)
The DC Council Committee on Public Safety and Judiciary, headed by Chairman Phil Mendelson, will hold a hearing tomorrow, February 6, at noon ET on the “Delegation of Subpoena Power to the Chief of Police Pursuant to Mayor’s Order 2008-154.” Hearing notice (pdf).
This order (pdf) significantly expanded the power of the DC Police Chief by delegating to her the authority to “issue subpoenas and to administer oaths to witnesses in any investigation or examination of any municipal matter.” In January, the DC Council voted 9-4 to rescind the power. Mendelson told the Washington Post, “The authority that was proposed for the chief of police is unprecedented and without any limitations. There is no other jurisdiction that we know of that gives the chief of police this broad authority to subpoena people regarding any municipal matter.”
Mayor Fenty then issued another order, 2009-5 (pdf), which rescinded 2008-154 but gave the Attorney General the power “to issue subpoenas to witnesses in any criminal investigation or examination for the purpose of obtaining records, including but not limited to phone records, computer information, Department of Motor Vehicle records and lease information.” The Attorney General was also given the power to delegate this authority to subordinate attorneys.
This hearing will focus on the legality of Order 2009-5, which raises numerous privacy and civil liberty questions.
Date: February 6, 2009 at noon
Location: John A. Wilson Building, Room 412
For more information: http://tinyurl.com/aaw835
Possibly related posts: