COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio is among the three states sending additional National Guard troops to D.C. this week.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced this weekend the Secretary of the Army asked Ohio to send 150 military police from its National Guard to support the D.C. National Guard.
"These Ohio National Guard members will carry out presence patrols and serve as added security. None of these military police members are currently serving as law enforcement officers in the state of Ohio," DeWine said in a statement.
In addition to Ohio, West Virginia is sending 300 to 400 National Guard troops, while South Carolina is sending 200.
This comes less than a week after President Donald Trump announced he was taking over the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and activating 800 members of the National Guard to address crime and get "rid of the slums."
Ohio's top Democrats, including House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati), have questioned DeWine's decision to send additional resources.
"Ohio’s National Guard exists to protect and serve Ohioans and other Americans in moments of true crisis. ... Sending Ohio’s Guard to Washington for partisan stunts takes away from the work that truly matters to the people of this state," Isaasohn said in a statement.
Residents have also spoken out against the move, with protesters gathering outside the Ohio Statehouse this weekend in opposition.
DeWine did not say in his announcement exactly when Ohio National Guard troops will be sent to D.C., stating only they would arrive "in the coming days."
