User blog comment:Blackendedsoul/The Authority of Admirals/@comment-1595565-20130705234556/@comment-1595565-20130706003304

There was no higher up decision about Crocodile. Smoker and Tashigi were the only people within the Marines who knew about his activities at the time. Once they found Crocodile unconscious, Smoker told Tashigi to revoke his rights. She made some declaration and they arrested him. Even still, a captain isn't too high, so it seems that any officer could do it.