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The National
3 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Trump hints at extending federal takeover of DC police as National Guard troops are posted
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday hinted at extensions of the 30-day federal takeover of law enforcement in Washington, as the city waited for a promised increase of National Guard troops and federal officers on the streets round the clock, starting on Wednesday. The law gives Mr Trump the power to take over Washington's police for up to 30 days, unlike other US states and cities. Extending his power over the city for longer would require approval from Congress. "We're gonna do this very quickly. But we're gonna want extensions. I don't want to call a national emergency. If I have to, I will,' he said. The city's Democratic mayor has walked a political tightrope, referring to the takeover as an 'authoritarian push' at one point and later calling the increase in officers a boost to public safety, although one with few specific measures for success. The Republican President has said crime in the city was at emergency levels that only such federal intervention could fix – even as District of Columbia leaders pointed to statistics showing violent crime at a 30-year low after a sharp rise two years ago. The White House has denied those statistics, claiming they were fabricated or misrepresented, and said Washington is more dangerous than Baghdad. Small groups of federal officers have been visible in scattered areas of the city for the past few days, although a 'significantly higher' presence of guard members was expected on Wednesday night, the White House said. Hundreds of federal law enforcement and city police officers who patrolled the streets on Tuesday night made 43 arrests – for infractions including suspicion of driving under the influence and unlawful entry – compared with about two dozen the night before. Up to 800 troops were expected to be sent in a support role to law enforcement, although exactly how remains to be determined. Mr Trump previously sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles during protests that took place in reaction to immigration raids. The push also includes clearing out camps for the homeless. US Park Police have removed dozens of tents since March, and plan to take out two more camps this week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. People are offered the chance to go to shelters and receive addiction treatment, if needed, but those who refuse could be fined or jailed. Mr Trump has previously threatened to expand his efforts to other Democratic-run cities, such as Chicago, that he claims have failed to address crime.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Federal agents will be out 24/7 on patrol in Washington, the White House says
As a wary Washington waited, the White House promised a ramp-up of National Guard troops and federal officers on the streets of the nation's capital around the clock starting Wednesday, days after President Donald Trump 's unprecedented announcement that his administration would take over the city's police department for at least a month. The city's Democratic mayor and police chief framed the influx as a plus for public safety, though they said there are few hard measures for what a successful end to the operation might look like. The Republican president has said crime in the city was at emergency levels that only such federal intervention could fix even as District of Columbia leaders pointed to statistics showing violent crime at a 30-year low after a sharp rise two years ago. For two days, small groups of federal officers have been visible in scattered areas of the city. That is about to change, the administration says. A 'significantly higher' presence of guard members was expected Wednesday night, and federal agents will be out 24/7 rather than largely at night, according to the White House. Hundreds of federal law enforcement and city police officers who patrolled the streets Tuesday night made 43 arrests, compared with about two dozen the night before. In one neighborhood, officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI could be seen along with the U.S. Park Police searching the car of a motorist parked just outside a legal parking area to eat takeout and drop off a friend. Two blocks away, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers gathered in a parking lot before driving off on patrol. In other parts of the city, including those with popular nightlife hot spots, federal patrols were harder to find. At the National Mall, there was little law enforcement activity aside from Park Police cruisers pulling over a taxi driver near the Washington Monument. Unlike in other U.S. states and cities, the law gives Trump the power to take over Washington's police for up to 30 days. Extending his power over the city for longer would require approval from Congress, and that could be tough in the face of Democratic resistance. A variety of infractions are targeted The arrests made by 1,450 federal and local officers across the city included those for suspicion of driving under the influence, unlawful entry, as well as a warrant for assault with a deadly weapon, according to the White House. Seven illegal firearms were seized. Unlike in other U.S. states and cities, the law gives Trump the power to take over Washington's police for up to a month. Extending Trump's power over the city for longer would require approval from Congress, and that could be tough in the face of Democratic resistance. The president has full command of the National Guard, but as of Tuesday evening, guard members had yet to be assigned a specific mission, according to an official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. As many as 800 troops were expected to be mobilized in a support role to law enforcement, though exactly what form remains to be determined. The push also includes clearing out encampments for people who are homeless, Trump has said. U.S. Park Police have removed dozens of tents since March, and plan to take out two more this week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said. People are offered the chance to go to shelters and get addiction treatment, if needed, but those who refuse could be fined or jailed, she said. City officials said they are making more shelter space available and increasing their outreach. Violent crime has dropped in the district The federal effort comes even after a drop in violent crime in the nation's capital, a trend that experts have seen in cities across the U.S. since an increase during the coronavirus pandemic. On average, the level of violence Washington remains mostly higher than averages in three dozen cities analyzed by the nonprofit Council on Criminal Justice, said the group's president and CEO, Adam Gelb. Police Chief Pamela Smith said during an interview with the local Fox affiliate that the city's Metro Police Department has been down nearly 800 officers. She said the increased number of federal agents on the streets would help fill that gap, at least for now. Mayor Muriel Bowser said city officials did not get any specific goals for the surge during a meeting with Trump's attorney general, Pam Bondi, and other top federal law enforcement officials Tuesday. But, she said, "I think they regard it as a success to have more presence and take more guns off the street, and we do too.' She had previously called Trump's moves 'unsettling and unprecedented' while pointing out he was within a president's legal rights regarding the district, which is the seat of American government but is not a state. For some residents, the increased presence of law enforcement and National Guard troops is nerve-wracking. 'I've seen them right here at the subway ... they had my street where I live at blocked off yesterday, actually,' Washington native Sheina Taylor said. 'It's more fearful now because even though you're a law-abiding citizen, here in D.C., you don't know, especially because I'm African American." ___ Associated Press writers Konstantin Toropin and Will Weissert, photographer Jacquelyn Martin and video journalist River Zhang contributed to this report.
