The National Guard’s presence in D.C. has helped drive down some crime — but a new study suggests it’s not the right tool for the city’s most serious public safety challenges.
Since the guard was deployed last August, overall crime dropped about 24%, according to a study by the Niskanen Center. But researchers say most of that reduction came from opportunistic property crime — not violent crime.
“The National Guard was deployed primarily in high-visibility public spaces, exactly the locations where opportunistic property crime tends to occur and where visible deterrence is most likely to be effective,” according to the report…