Additional Measures To Address the Crime Emergency in the District of Columbia
The order extends a declared crime emergency in the District of Columbia by directing multiple federal agencies to hire prosecutors and police, create specialized law enforcement units, and establish an online portal for law enforcement volunteers.
It also directs the Secretary of Defense to immediately form a specialized D.C. National Guard unit and ensure all 50 states' National Guards are trained for rapid mobilization — including by maintaining a standing nationwide quick reaction force for deployment wherever public order is lost.
What this order does
What it orders
The order directs the National Park Service to hire additional U.S. Park Police, the U.S. Attorney for D.C. to hire additional prosecutors, and the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force to establish an online portal for law enforcement applicants and immediately create specialized public-safety units deployable in D.C. and potentially in other cities. The Secretary of Defense must immediately form a specialized D.C. National Guard unit, ensure all state Army and Air National Guards are resourced and available for rapid mobilization to quell civil disturbances, and maintain a standing national quick reaction force for rapid deployment.
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development must investigate housing authority non-compliance with crime-prevention requirements and refer findings to the Attorney General. The Secretary of Transportation must conduct additional safety inspections of federally funded transit services. The Attorney General must review Metropolitan Police Department General Orders and request updates from the D.C. mayor. All actions are subject to the availability of appropriations and applicable law.
Who it affects
D.C. residents, transit riders, and public-housing tenants who may see changes in law enforcement presence; all 50 states' National Guard units and their members; law enforcement professionals who may apply through the new online portal; and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and mayor.
Why it matters
D.C. residents see an immediate surge in federal law enforcement staffing and specialized units. The nationwide National Guard readiness directive — including a standing quick reaction force — means any American city where federal authorities deem public order lost could see National Guard deployment under this framework.
What must happen and when
How the order is supposed to work
Multiple agencies act in parallel under immediate standing orders, all subject to appropriations. The Task Force portal channels civilian law enforcement applicants into federal units. Specialized law enforcement units are built simultaneously at the task force level and within the D.C. National Guard. The Secretary of Defense concurrently prepares a nationwide quick reaction force in coordination with state adjutants general. HUD investigations trigger referrals to the Attorney General. The Attorney General's review of police general orders produces a formal request — not a mandate — to the D.C. mayor.
Actions and deadlines
- Hire additional U.S. Park Police in the District of Columbia to support public-safety goals
- Hire additional prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's office focused on violent and property crimes
- Establish an online portal for law enforcement applicants to join federal law enforcement entities
- Create, staff, train, and equip specialized public-safety units within each Task Force law enforcement agency
- Create and begin training a specialized unit within the D.C. National Guard for public-safety deployment
- Ensure all state Army and Air National Guards are resourced, trained, and available for rapid mobilization to quell civil disturbances
- Designate an appropriate number of trained National Guard members in each state for rapid mobilization
- Establish a standing National Guard quick reaction force available for rapid nationwide deployment
- Investigate D.C. Housing Authority and landlord non-compliance with crime-prevention agreement requirements
- Conduct additional inspections and audits of federally funded transit services in the District of Columbia for worker safety
- Review Metropolitan Police Department General Orders and request necessary updates from the D.C. mayor