Plans are currently underway to initiate the activation of DC’s National Guard members by the U.S. military following directives from President Trump to curb local street crime. There was no official declaration as of the start of the week, but the President is predicted to broadcast an announcement at a White House press briefing that will see several hundred guardsmen from the DC National Guard deployed to assist local law enforcement officers.
Additional details pertaining to this strategy have not been disclosed as of the start of the week. While the city’s crime rates have seen a downward trend, President Trump has stated that the crime rates are ‘entirely unchecked’ and has hinted at a federal intervention. According to earlier reports from Reuters, the National Guard units positioned may not possess arrest powers.
These soldiers, it’s believed, will serve in supporting roles to assist law enforcement or enable local officials to focus more on patrol duties. An additional part of the plan revealed by the Trump administration, is to temporarily reassign around 120 FBI agents in the city to nocturnal patrol duties, a move that represents a further crackdown from the President’s side.
The largest portion of these agents will be transferred from their standard obligations at the FBI’s field office based in Washington. It has also come to light that this strategic change for the National Guard follows the Indigenous movement earlier this summer, where near 5000 members were deployed to Los Angeles.
The troops were directed to assist in subduing the escalated citizen protests stirred by immigrations raids and to safeguard the federal agents executing these operations. The lion’s share of those National Guard soldiers have since been recalled, leaving roughly 250 personnel still out in the field.
In his first tenure, President Trump invoked National Guard and federal enforcement officials to forcefully disperse peaceful demonstrators during the Black Lives Matter protests triggered by George Floyd’s death at the hands of police officers in 2020. It is important to note the distinctive fact that the National Guard of the District of Columbia does not operate under the control of a governor, as is the situation in states.
This arrangement grants the president an extended range of versatility to deploy these military units. Unlike their counterparts in the states, the DC National Guard is under federal jurisdiction, raising concerns about this power dynamic. Critics argue such increased control over the National Guard by the White House could potentially lead to misuse or abuse of power, while others believe national security should be the priority regardless of the avenue taken.
The notion of federalizing law enforcement isn’t new, particularly under President Trump’s administration where it has been utilized more frequently. On the other hand, various experts have expressed their reservations about the precedent this could potentially set for future interventions, asserting that local law enforcement should work independently from federal forces to effectively counter local issues.
President Trump’s administration, it seems, is exempting no agency or service from the bold attempt to combat crime rates, regardless of the downward trend currently being observed in Washington, D.C. Despite tapering crime statistics, the President’s assessment casts a shadow on the situation in the city and bolsters his movement towards federal intervention.
The post US Military Plans to Activate DC’s National Guard to Combat Street Crime appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
