The mayor of Washington D.C., Muriel E. Bowser, described as “unsettling and unprecedented” the decision of Donald Trump to intervene in the city’s Metropolitan Police Department and deploy 800 National Guard members. The measure was announced this Monday and marks a direct intervention of the federal government in local security.
PUBLICIDAD
In her first public statement after the announcement, Bowser stated that, although they were not completely caught off guard due to previous comments from the president, the District of Columbia government will continue to operate in a way that generates pride among its residents. “We do not believe that our armed forces should be used against American citizens,” the mayor said.
PUBLICIDAD
The Metropolitan Police Department has 3,100 officers and, according to Bowser, the city requested that its officers wear identifiable uniforms to avoid confusion with federal agents, such as the National Park Police who oversee the capital’s monuments.
The mayor indicated that she has already held conversations with Attorney General Pam Bondi to discuss the terms of the intervention.
The mayor is pushing for “D.C.” to become a state
Bowser pointed out that Trump’s view of Washington seems to have been influenced by his experience in the city during and after the coronavirus pandemic, when violent crimes increased both locally and nationally. However, she emphasized that current figures in the District of Columbia are the lowest in three decades. She assured that the local administration continues to work on reducing violence and reiterated that the capital is an attractive city open to visitors from around the world.
The mayor took advantage of the press conference to insist that “D.C.” should become a state, which would prevent federal interventions of this kind. “We are American citizens. Our families go to war. We pay taxes and fulfill the responsibilities of citizenship,” said Bowser.
The mayor stated that those concerned about the autonomy of the Metropolitan Police Department should support the statehood cause for “D.C.” and recalled that Congress had a bill before them that would have transferred control of the National Guard to the city.
New contradiction from Trump?
Senator Tim Kaine from Virginia criticized the intervention, calling it a waste of public resources, emphasizing that crime in the capital is at its lowest level in thirty years.
Kaine considered the measure an unnecessary escalation and an attempt to divert attention from other national issues, such as inflation and what he described as failures in Trump’s management. In addition, the senator questioned the president’s consistency, recalling that on January 6, 2021, he did not deploy the National Guard with the same promptness and later granted pardons to participants in the Capitol assault, including some convicted of assaulting police officers.
When will the National Guard be deployed?
The Army spokesperson, Colonel Dave Butler, reported that the National Guard troops will arrive in the city at the end of this week, once they receive orders and equipment. Most of the soldiers live in the region, so they will be organized in shifts of 200 personnel to maintain a permanent presence on the streets.
Initially, their work will be to provide logistical and administrative support, freeing up police officers to focus on law enforcement tasks. Butler explained that, in certain areas, the troops will be stationed at strategic intersections as a deterrent against crime, a function similar to what they have fulfilled at the border.