To his credit, President Donald Trump has acted boldly to curtail policing practices in our nation’s capital. Most recently, he has ordered the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops to the nation’s capital. This is the first deployment of personnel from West Virginia, South Carolina, and Ohio. It is a smaller piece of a much larger federal thrust against crime and civil disorder.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey’s office assured that the state would provide upwards of 300-400 trained heavy equipment operators. They will provide all required helmet and other equipment. Those National Guard troops will now fall under the command of President Trump. He has focused on improving public safety throughout the district.
Some 800 National Guard troops are still stationed in D.C. They are hands on with the account maintenance work, infrastructure development including administrative and public assistance roles, beautification and more. The deployment comes as violent crime in Washington D.C. has reached a 30-year low since President Trump was sworn into office back in January. Besides that, there has been a truly impressive 26% drop in crime since his reappointment.
Despite the drop in crime rates, the federal presence has sparked protests in the predominantly Democratic city. Opponents contend that putting National Guard troops on the streets for civil political policing violates their core mission. They argue that these changes divert focus from the most important community protection initiatives.
“They should be home, ready to respond—not on a political policing mission,” – The Chamberlain Network
Defense officials at first specified that the National Guard troops would be unarmed. However, a U.S. official revealed that a formal order authorizing military police officers to bear sidearms would soon be issued.
“Weapons are available if needed but will remain in the armory,” – U.S. Army
This directive is an encouraging sign of a more compassionate, more peaceful strategy in addressing future rebellion. It showcases the administration’s commitment to upholding repriselessness in a highly partisan atmosphere.
Trump’s executive order federalized those local police forces. It mobilized nearly 800 members of the District of Columbia National Guard. Troops from South Carolina are deploying 200 personnel to provide security in the city. At the same time, Ohio is sending 150 active-duty soldiers to help fill the void.
Governor Morrisey characterized the deployment as “a show of commitment to public safety and regional cooperation,” underscoring the collaborative effort among states to assist D.C. in managing its public safety challenges.
At least no one really knows yet how long these deployments will last. The only hitch is that President Trump has indicated that more of the same may be in store for other, mostly Democratic cities around the country.
The deployment of National Guard troops to the southern border hasn’t been without its opponents. Photo by Ted Eytan, Flickr Protesters in Washington D.C. were making their voices heard against the problem of militarization in policing. One organization even hung a large banner that said, “No fascist takeover of DC.”