D.C. police have started patrolling with the National Guard, a change in the relationship between local and federal officials in the aftermath of last week’s shooting that killed one guard member and left another critically injured.
In some instances, officers have already started working directly alongside National Guard members on patrol, according to a D.C. police official who asked not to be named to openly discuss the plans. But it’s unclear how long the pairing will last. D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said the officers working with the guard members may not last beyond this week, NBC Washington reported.
The official told WTOP plans for collaboration moving forward are still in the works, but could come before the end of the week. The D.C. officers who are directly working with the National Guard are working in an overtime capacity, the official said, so they’re not being asked to focus on collaboration with troops at the expense of other day-to-day responsibilities.
The D.C. National Guard’s Joint Task Force said in a statement over email that it will continue to work with D.C. police “to ensure the safety of all who live, work, and visit the District.”
Through a spokesperson, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declined to comment on the plans.
Last week, The Washington Post first reported plans for D.C. police and the National Guard to patrol together.
The step comes days after the shooting near Farragut Square in Downtown D.C. that killed Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a National Guard member from West Virginia. Officials said Beckstrom died on Thanksgiving Day. Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, meanwhile, is still in the hospital with critical injuries.
The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, is expected to appear in court once he’s medically able, according to U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro’s office.
Lakanwal had been unraveling for years, according to The Associated Press, so much so that a community advocate contacted a refugee organization for assistance, worried that Lakanwal was becoming suicidal. In Afghanistan, Lakanwal worked in a special Afghan Army unit called Zero Unit, backed by the CIA. He came to the U.S. in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, which resettled Afghans after the American withdrawal.
Last week, The Washington Post reported, D.C. police leaders received an email that said officers will “conduct high-visibility patrols with the National Guard and provide assistance as needed.” The message included the caveat that plans for the collaboration were evolving.
National Guard members first arrived in D.C. in August as part of President Donald Trump’s crime emergency and law enforcement surge. They’ve largely worked on city streets, in parks and Metro stations, without representatives from other law enforcement agencies.
During a news conference Monday, Maj. Gen. James Seward, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard, said he could not “go into the details” about future planned operations regarding troops in the District. After Wednesday’s shooting, Trump requested that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth order 500 more National Guard members to D.C.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
