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President Trump has federalized the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., launching a 30-day emergency operation that has generated mixed reactions but notable early results.
After one week of federal control, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi reported nearly 400 arrests, including homicide suspects, thieves, and drug traffickers. Federal agents from the FBI, DEA, and Homeland Security Investigations seized 21 illegal guns over a single weekend during enforcement sweeps.
The D.C. Police Union reported significant crime reductions during the first week: carjackings dropped 83%, robberies fell 46%, and overall violent crime decreased 22%. These statistics have encouraged residents in high-crime areas who had grown frustrated with persistent safety issues.
Robbie Woodland, an advisory neighborhood commissioner in Congress Heights, initially opposed the takeover but changed her perspective after witnessing federal patrols that avoided aggressive tactics while effectively clearing troublemakers from her predominantly Black neighborhood. She and other residents are now actively cooperating with federal authorities, suggesting problem areas like the Congress Park apartments on Savannah Street Southeast, site of a Memorial Day triple shooting.
Ibrahim Hossain, a store manager who was attacked by a mob of 30 teenagers at Hechinger Mall in Northeast D.C., expressed relief about the federal presence. His store had been ransacked earlier this month when police took 45 minutes to respond to his emergency call. The incident occurred near Kingman Park, which has the District’s highest density of violent crime.
The federal operation extends beyond Southeast D.C. to neighborhoods like Columbia Heights, where FBI agents patrol 14th Street Northwest. This area has experienced significant violent crime increases and lost businesses due to persistent theft, including a CVS Pharmacy that closed after repeated robberies.
The most visible federal presence comes from 1,600 National Guard troops, including 800 arriving from Ohio, South Carolina, and West Virginia. While some may be armed, most are stationed in tourist areas like the National Mall and Union Station rather than high-crime neighborhoods.
Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council oppose the takeover, arguing that violent crime is at a 30-year low. However, Mr. Trump counters that D.C. has the nation’s fourth-highest homicide rate and points to an ongoing investigation into allegedly falsified crime statistics by a police commander.
Read more: Residents in D.C.’s high-crime neighborhoods back federal takeover of city police
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