Gov. Mike Braun is deploying 300 Indiana National Guard soldiers to the nation's capital to support President Donald Trump's strategy of using military personnel to promote public safety in Washington, D.C.
The soldiers, mostly based in Gary and Bloomington, will first report to Camp Atterbury for training prior to departing for Washington in December on a mission expected to last up to four months.
Acting alongside the Trump-led D.C. National Guard, the Hoosiers will be tasked with aiding local law enforcement and other civilian agencies in their efforts to reduce crime and property damage in Washington.
"Hoosiers are proud of our guardsmen, who are well-trained and fully prepared for this mission," Braun said. "We are grateful for their service and support in our nation's capital."
The Republican president ordered the National Guard onto the streets of Washington in August after he deemed the city "under siege from violent crime," "among the most dangerous places in the world," and a "national disgrace."
Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt claimed Wednesday the deployment of the National Guard from D.C. and at least eight states has made the nation's capital "safer than at any time in recent memory" — even though many soldiers spend their days doing trash pickup, landscaping and other beautification projects, rather than directly supporting law enforcement.
Braun, a Republican, said the Indiana troops are replacing National Guard soldiers from other states, whose D.C. deployments are slated to end Nov. 30.
" National Guard soldiers and airmen are uniquely qualified to help in these types of situations. Our Hoosier guardsmen regularly prepare, train and work side-by-side with civilian first responders, and our guardsmen are ready for this mission as well," said Maj. Gen. Larry Muennich, Indiana National Guard adjutant general.
FBI data show the violent crime rate in Indianapolis last year was slightly less than Washington. Though neither city even ranked in the top 25.
Braun has not publicly indicated any interest in deploying the National Guard to Indiana cities to help with crime despite a plea from Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita after 14 people were shot and 4 stabbed last weekend in Indianapolis, the state capital.
"This is never-ending crisis with no end in sight. Local and state leaders should be using every tool available to keep people safe," Rokita said.
The D.C. deployment comes days after the president chided the governor for failing to advance an early partisan redrawing of Indiana's congressional district boundaries.
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