U.S. National Guard members in Washington were mentioned in only 1.3% of criminal cases — The Japan Times
Members of the U.S. National Guard, whom President Donald Trump deployed to Washington, D.C., to combat crime, were mentioned in approximately 1.3% of the criminal cases filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia since last August. This was reported by The Japan Times, which analyzed publicly available court documents in criminal cases.
At the time of this report, approximately 4,500 National Guard members were stationed in the U.S. capital—more than the 3,200 members of the city’s police force. The Trump administration had previously informed Congress that deploying the National Guard cost about $1.65 million per day even before the contingent’s size doubled this summer. Washington’s most recent police budget was approximately $1.5 million per day.
The police reported that the National Guard was involved in 217 criminal cases. In 62 cases, National Guard members independently stopped individuals suspected of, among other things, shoplifting or jumping the turnstiles in the metro to avoid paying the fare. In another 43 cases, they assisted police officers in detaining suspects.
At the same time, in dozens of cases, National Guard members themselves were listed as victims. In 62 cases, people were accused of shoving, striking, or threatening National Guard members; another nine cases involved spitting on National Guard members.
Read more breaking news on the UA.News Telegram channel.
According to government documents, National Guard members were granted the powers of deputy federal marshals, though their law enforcement authority is limited. The U.S. Department of Defense has described their work as “presence patrols”—a show of force intended to deter crime. Military personnel can detain a suspect, but must call the police to make a formal arrest.
An analysis of court records, according to The Japan Times, showed that National Guard members were mentioned more frequently in wealthier, less dangerous neighborhoods with a higher proportion of white residents, primarily near the city center and metro stations. The documents contained no mention of law enforcement actions by the military in areas where approximately 82% of Washington’s 859 homicides over the past five years occurred.
The White House did not respond to the publication’s questions about the military’s operations. Administration spokeswoman Lauren Bees stated that Trump’s actions had reduced crime rates, improved the city, and enhanced residents’ quality of life. At the same time, a study by the nonpartisan Niskanen Center, released in May, concluded that the military deployment in Washington, D.C., reduced the number of car thefts but had no effect on violent crime.
