On Aug. 11, President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency in the nation’s capital and vowed to make streets there safe again. The National Guard is now playing a big part in that effort, assisting both federal and local law enforcement personnel in enforcing existing laws and taking violent criminals off the streets.
FBI, Homeland Security, DEA have also sent agents to assist law enforcement in DC.
“I think there’s no more important job for this department than to stand alongside federal law enforcement partners and local police in securing our nation’s capital,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson. “As the White House and the president have said, it is disgraceful that we have allowed D.C. to become so incredibly dangerous.”
About 800 National Guard troops, both Army and Air National Guard, have been called up and activated on Title 32 status to participate in the Safe and Beautiful Task Force. For now, about 200 guardsmen at a time are on the streets providing support to federal law enforcement and the Metropolitan Police Department.
“They will remain there until law and order has been restored in the district, as determined by the president — standing as the gatekeepers of our great nation’s capital,” Wilson said.
While guardsmen are not currently armed as part of their participation, Wilson said their role will be similar to what it was in Los Angeles.
“The National Guardsmen on this mission will assist the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and federal law enforcement partners with monument security, community safety patrols, protecting federal facilities and offices, traffic control posts, and area beautification,” Wilson said.
Military personnel, Wilson said, are following the D.C. National Guard rules for the use of force.
“They’re all trained in de-escalation techniques, and of course, always retain the inherent right to self-defense,” she said. “They will not be arresting people, but they may temporarily limit the movement of an individual who has entered a restricted or secured area without permission. So, this would be very similar to the LA mission, where we could temporarily [detain] someone and then turn them over to the proper law enforcement authorities.”
