U.S. Seeks 1,500 More Guard Troops for D.C., Lifting Planned Force to 5,000
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 15
U.S. Seeks 1,500 More Guard Troops for D.C., Lifting Planned Force to 5,000
6 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 15
Federal officials said a new D.C. “summer surge” is starting now, with 1,500 additional National Guard members requested ahead of the U.S. 250th anniversary celebration.
The buildup also adds agents from the Marshals Service, DEA and ATF, while Homeland Security Investigations staffing will double; officials said the final number of new personnel is still being set.
Jeanine Pirro said nearly 13,000 arrests and about 1,500 illegal gun seizures have been made since last summer’s federal surge, as local police data show homicides down 36% and overall crime down 26% year to date.
Pirro tied the push to youth “teen takeovers,” saying parents of children out past D.C.’s 11 p.m. curfew could face fines, court-ordered classes or jail.
The announcement broadens a federal security crackdown in Washington that also includes revived death-penalty efforts, even though D.C. local law does not allow capital punishment.
As D.C. prosecutes parents for teen crime, could restorative justice with its proven success be a more effective national model?
Will punishing parents for their teens' actions reduce crime, or should cities invest in addressing the root causes of youth violence?