It has been one year since D.C. saw a federal law enforcement surge as part of President Donald Trump’s Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful mission. Now, more than 4,000 National Guard members remain assigned to the effort in the city in a move that has received both criticism and praise.
Moving into the second year of the deployment, D.C. National Guard leaders are highlighting why they believe it’s working, pointing to emergency medical responses, community interactions and crime trends as evidence that Guard patrols and other work are making a difference.
Brig. Gen. Leland Blanchard, commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, said nearly 10,000 soldiers and airmen have served as part of the effort during the past year.
The troops perform “a range of activities,” Blanchard said, but “the most important one is presence and deterrence.”
According to D.C. police data, overall crime is down 19% compared with the same period last year, with declines in homicides, robberies and motor vehicle thefts. Reports of assaults with a dangerous weapon have increased.
While some critics have questioned whether those crime changes are a direct result of the deployment, Blanchard points to the overall decrease as evidence the Guard’s presence is making a difference.
Blanchard said he also hears from residents who tell him they feel safer in areas where Guard members are deployed.
The increase in reports of assaults with a dangerous weapon could be due in part to Guard members being positioned around the nation’s capital and available to respond quickly to witnesses and victims, Blanchard said.
“We’re responsive; no one’s waiting for, you know, an amount of time,” Blanchard said. “‘Cause, again, if you’ve — if you’ve witnessed a crime, how likely are you to hang around long enough — whether it’s four minutes, whether it’s 40 minutes — for someone to show up? But if someone’s right there, you’re more likely to share what you’ve just seen.”
Blanchard said troops have been able to provide immediate responses and, in many cases, quick medical attention. One recent example, he said, involved a Guard soldier who used a tourniquet to help a man who badly injured his arm at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.
“Our soldier was nearby and people started yelling, ‘Hey, help!’ And so he was able to jump in there and address that. And we’ve seen the same thing a few times over the last year with gunshot victims, where we might be the first to arrive on the scene and were able to jump in and start that life-saving support right away,” he said.
Blanchard said Guard troops have also reunited 47 children with their families and responded to more than 400 overdose emergencies during the deployment.
Guardsmen are deputized as special deputy U.S. marshals, and statistics released by the Guard show that they’ve assisted in 535 “apprehensions,” which include “providing security.” But Blanchard said soldiers aren’t making arrests themselves; instead, they support local and federal law enforcement partners.
The National Guard made a pair of Arkansas Guardsmen available to reporters to talk about their mission in D.C.
Speaking at the Lincoln Memorial, the Arkansas National Guard soldiers described overwhelmingly positive interactions with residents.
Staff Sgt. Seth Borchert said he was excited to take part in a mission focused on community engagement and helping residents.
“We’re not here to be negative,” Borchert said. “We’re here to help, we’re here to build up the community, bring the community together, and just be there if we’re needed.”
Borchert, who works in local law enforcement back home, estimated roughly 90% of his interactions with residents have been positive and said he’s particularly enjoyed engaging with children and helping people in need.
Sgt. 1st Class Tyler Smithgall also described positive experiences during his deployment.
“For the majority of the time, it’s just what you witnessed here, you know: fist bumps, pictures, handing out waters, having conversations, listening to them tell their stories,” Smithgall said. “It’s been nice.”
Smithgall said the goal is to deter bad behavior and support the local community. He recalled one instance where he helped respond to a serious fight between two people.
“Had we not been there, I think someone would have lost their life,” Smithgall said.
Otherwise, a typical day for the Guardsmen could include handing out water, posing for pictures, giving children stickers and even handing out dog treats to pets they encounter, he said.
“We’re not here to invade. We’re just here to be part of it and make sure good actions are happening,” he said.
Blanchard acknowledged that not everyone supports the deployment but said criticism comes with the job.
“Criticism is a part of this job. It’s a — it’s a part of what we’re doing. I understand that. I just remind everyone that each of these — each of these soldiers and airmen that they see, you know, they’re not — and I tell them — they’re not to be involved in the politics of it, right? That’s someone else’s responsibility,” Blanchard said.
He encouraged residents with questions about the deployment to speak directly with the soldiers and airmen serving in the city.
“I think the biggest thing that I would just ask people to do is take a moment and talk to them. Ask them why they’re here. And don’t just ask them, ‘Hey, you’re here.’ Ask them why they serve and why they wear the uniform. You might be impressed,” Blanchard said.
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