Washington DC's National Guard to join Local Police in Patrols Amid Ongoing Violence
A shift is on the horizon for the nation's capital as Washington DC's National Guard troops will now be paired with local law enforcement on patrols. This move comes 48 hours after two guard members were shot, leaving one dead and another critically injured.
According to a report by the Washington Post, officers will conduct high-visibility patrols alongside the National Guard and provide assistance as needed. The situation is described as "fluid," allowing for possible changes to the plan. If implemented, this would mark a significant shift in how the National Guard is deployed in DC since their assignment in August.
The deployment of National Guard troops was initially intended to help reduce street crime, including murder and assault, by allowing local law enforcement to focus on other areas. However, with this new move, it appears that the troop's presence may be undercutting their original purpose.
The 2,000-member National Guard task force, known as the "Safe and Beautiful Task Force," has been deployed to DC since August. While they are not fully trained in law enforcement procedures, they have been involved in high-profile patrols. The deployment of an additional 500 troops was announced by the defense secretary earlier this week.
The shooting incident that led to this new deployment protocol left two young lives cut short. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her wounds, while Andrew Wolfe, also a member of the West Virginia National Guard, remains in critical condition with upgraded charges of first-degree murder against the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal.
In response to the tragedy, officials across West Virginia have come together to honor the fallen heroes. The state's governor, Patrick Morrisey, has asked all residents to observe a moment of silence or prayer and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in recognition of Beckstrom's death.
A shift is on the horizon for the nation's capital as Washington DC's National Guard troops will now be paired with local law enforcement on patrols. This move comes 48 hours after two guard members were shot, leaving one dead and another critically injured.
According to a report by the Washington Post, officers will conduct high-visibility patrols alongside the National Guard and provide assistance as needed. The situation is described as "fluid," allowing for possible changes to the plan. If implemented, this would mark a significant shift in how the National Guard is deployed in DC since their assignment in August.
The deployment of National Guard troops was initially intended to help reduce street crime, including murder and assault, by allowing local law enforcement to focus on other areas. However, with this new move, it appears that the troop's presence may be undercutting their original purpose.
The 2,000-member National Guard task force, known as the "Safe and Beautiful Task Force," has been deployed to DC since August. While they are not fully trained in law enforcement procedures, they have been involved in high-profile patrols. The deployment of an additional 500 troops was announced by the defense secretary earlier this week.
The shooting incident that led to this new deployment protocol left two young lives cut short. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died from her wounds, while Andrew Wolfe, also a member of the West Virginia National Guard, remains in critical condition with upgraded charges of first-degree murder against the suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal.
In response to the tragedy, officials across West Virginia have come together to honor the fallen heroes. The state's governor, Patrick Morrisey, has asked all residents to observe a moment of silence or prayer and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in recognition of Beckstrom's death.
just heard about this new deployment thingy for National Guard in DC... sounds like they're gonna be paired with local cops on patrols, which is kinda weird considering their original purpose was supposed to help reduce crime rates 
. don't get me wrong, it's all about keeping the streets safe and stuff, but I'm wondering if this new plan is gonna make things worse or better 
. seems like they're trying to address a crisis, but are they doing it with the right tools in place? 
theyre sendin more national guard troops to patrol the streets with local cops, but like what was the point of even havin them there 2 csn? it all started cuz 2 guards got shot & now its all fluid lol. theres this task force 4 street crime thats been goin on since august but im pretty sure they werent exactly law enforcement trained 
. it just seems like a band aid solution to me... can't we just focus on the root problems or something? anywayz, idk what to think about this one 
. What if this new plan doesn't work out and things get even worse? We should be careful about how we deploy our troops, especially when it comes to things that affect community trust 
.
i mean, we need more community outreach and less militarization 
... 2k member task force was already there for a reason - to help reduce street crime & violence 
. don't wanna undercut their purpose just 'cause of one incident 
... still sad about those two lives lost tho 
#JusticeForSarahBeckstrom #StaySafeDC
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and yea 2 guard members got shot & one person died 1st degree murder charge against the suspect wut a sad day 
what was the point of even sending them to dc in first place? they were supposed 2 help w/ crime rates but now it sounds like dey just 4get about dat 
my heart goes out 2 the families of these victims 
it's sad to hear that the national guard deployment has taken a turn and is now affecting the original purpose of their assignment. maybe they can find a way to make both goals work? 
. And what's up with the "fluid" situation? Sounds like bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo to me 
. They need to focus on building relationships and training up those local cops, not just throwing more bodies at the problem 
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i feel for Andrew's family too, poor guy 
. I'm not naive, I know there are complexities involved, but can't we try to do better than this? 
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. They deserve so much better than us trying to sweep their deaths under the rug 
. We need to be doing more to prevent these kinds of tragedies from happening in the first place, not just responding after they happen 
. This is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach, not just a Band-Aid solution 
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