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Following the shooting of two West Virginia Guardsmen, the Metropolitan Police Department will begin joint patrols with National Guard troops. The measure is intended to enhance security and visibility in the city.
The pairing of local law enforcement with Guardsmen in the District of Columbia marks a significant shift from previous operations, where troops largely patrolled independently since their deployment in August.
The change is currently temporary and under discussion for potential long-term implementation. The decision comes amid ongoing coordination between D.C. police, Metro Transit Police, U.S. Park Police, and other agencies with the National Guard Joint Task Force.
In New York City, the pairing of National Guard and State police officers has been in place since last spring, when they began patrolling city subway platforms in response to a series of violent crimes.
“Stiffen Our Resolve”
President Donald Trump asked for 500 additional National Guard members to be deployed in Washington last week, according to Secretary of War Secretary Pete Hegseth. States sending Guardsmen include Indiana (300 troops previously mobilized), Oklahoma (160 troops) and South Carolina (200-300 troops).
Hegseth said the president asked him for the deployment and that he would make the request of Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll. Army spokesperson Col. Dave Butler said in a statement that the Army “received the request and will rapidly execute.”
“This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure that we make Washington, D.C., safe and beautiful,” Hegseth said on camera in the Dominican Republic. “The drop in crime has been historic. The increase in safety and security has been historic. But if criminals want to conduct things like this, violence against America's best, we will never back down.”
When asked about the reaction of West Virginia National Guardsmen to the increase in troops and the joint patrols, Sgt. 1st Class Ariana Shuemake of the West Virginia National Guard Public Affairs office said, “Right now, the main response to the incident and its aftermath has been focused on sending prayers and supporting the families involved.”
—By Michael Metz
