National Guard in Washington DC

More states are sending in the National Guard to Washington DC to help assist police. NBC News Radio National Correspondent Rory O'Neill joins us with the details. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Be good timing. Is those EU leaders wander about in
between meetings? How much safer is it for them in Washington,
d C. As the President has amped up federal intervention
in such matters. NB Seniors Radio National correspondent Rory O'Neil
is with us this morning. Good morning, Hey Steve, good morning.

(00:21):
So how's it working. What are people saying about crime
since this intervention has it now appears as things are
amping up a little bit.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
Well, look, we've got the initial tranch of Guard troops deployed,
and now we've got the leaders in three more states,
South Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia all pledging to send
more troops of their own, So the size of the
National Guard deployment could more than double in the day's
head in Washington. And look, the Guard members are showing

(00:56):
their teeth, you know when they walk around with a
big gun strapped around their shoulders, and they've got the
giant vehicles all painted up in camouflage. They certainly are
a presence on places like the mall near Union Station
near the Capitol as well, because remember they're not police officers,
you know, they can support the police. They can walk

(01:16):
around and sort of send the message of you know,
don't pull any shenanigans. But the idea is that the
guard troops then free up regular law enforcement to go
out in the hard hit crime neighborhoods. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
I I was going to ask what they're not writing tickets,
they're not dusting for fingerprints, but a person in uniform
is intimidating, right, And look.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
It's also a fine line, right. You also don't want
to scare people away if all you see is armed
troops walking around, you know, patrolling the National Mall. I
don't know, is that Do you like that scene? You know,
if there's a couple of like okay, But then suddenly
if you feel like you're in an armed encampment, that
might scare off a lot of people who'd rather not
have that kind of experience.

Speaker 1 (02:02):
We were in Rome with a group of radio listeners
last fall, and every once in a while you come
across a group of soldiers in a really cool camouflaged
land rover just letting you know. I don't think and
I tried, I couldn't get it through customs. But they

(02:24):
were there for the same reason for you know, security
in a situation, to help back up police officers and
everybody seemed to be getting along all right. Ye.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
Well and then how many did you see? And is
there a line do you want to see? You know,
two trucks in every corner? Is that too much? You know,
there is sort of that you're trying to send a
message that things are safe, But you know, do you
feel safe? You know, when you see that many soldiers,
then does that mean you're in a place that's not safe?

Speaker 1 (02:49):
Yeah, if they end up in pictures, what's that message
sending around the world? In with NBC News Radio National
Correspondent In your Radio, Rory Neil, thank you, hey, Thanks
Steve