MEGAN. ALL RIGHT. ALISON. THANK YOU. AND MORE THAN 100 MEMBERS OF THE OHIO NATIONAL GUARD HEADED TO THE NATION’S CAPITAL TODAY. AND THIS ALL COMES AFTER A REQUEST FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY LAST WEEK. SO, 150 MILITARY POLICE ARE HEADED EAST TO HELP PATROL AND SERVE AS ADDITIONAL SECURITY THERE IN DC. NOW, THIS IS ALL PART OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PLAN TO CRACK DOWN ON CRIME IN THE CITY. YESTERDAY WE TALKED WITH GOVERNOR MIKE DEWINE ABOUT HIS DECISION TO SEND TROOPS TO OUR NATION’S CAPITAL. WHEN WE GET REQUESTS, WE WANT TO BE THERE TO TO TRY TO HELP. AND SO THAT’S WHAT WE’RE DOING. WE’RE THERE TO TO HELP. EVERYBODY SORT OF WANTS TO MAKE THIS INTO A POLITICAL THING FOR ME. IT’S THAT THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY SAYS WE NEED HELP. MY TROOPS IN D.C. NEED HELP. AND CAN YOU PROVIDE 150 MPS ANSWERS? YEAH, WE’RE GOING TO WE’RE GOING TO DO THAT. BY THE WAY, WEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA ARE ALSO SENDING HUNDREDS OF TROOPS TO D.C., BRINGING THE TOTAL OF NATIONAL GUARD MEMBE
Ohio National Guard troops are arriving in DC. FBI data indicates many Ohio cities have higher crime rates
A total of 150 Ohio National Guard troops recently arrived in Washington, D.C., this week to help local police crack down on crime within the nation’s capital.The controversial move was previously OK’ed by Gov. Mike DeWine on Aug. 17 at the request of President Donald Trump. However, a new analysis of FBI crime data indicates that three of Ohio’s largest cities actually have violent crime rates that are higher than Washington, D.C.’s.A recent analysis done by CNN of FBI data shows that the cities of Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo all had higher violent crime rates in 2024 than the nation’s capital.According to the analysis, Cleveland had a violent crime rate of 1,550 incidents per 100,000 people in 2024, Dayton had a violent crime rate of 1,325 incidents per 100,000 people, and Toledo had a violent crime rate of 1,048 incidents per 100,000 people.All are higher than Washington, D.C.’s 2024 violent crime rate of 931 incidents per 100,000 people.Meanwhile, Cincinnati and Akron each recorded slightly lower violent crime rates than Washington last year, while Columbus had a dramatically lower violent crime rate at 426 incidents per 100,000 people.Additionally, the states of Tennessee, Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana and South Carolina have also sent troops to D.C. from their own state national guards. Specifically, for those states, CNN’s analysis found that Memphis, Tennessee, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, each registered violent crime rates in 2024 that were over twice as high as Washington, D.C. And all states except for South Carolina had at least one major city within it that had a violent crime rate in 2024 that was higher than D.C.’sBehind Memphis and Hattiesburg, Cleveland had the third-highest violent crime rate among major cities in the six states analyzed.Since being authorized, the deployment of Ohio National Guard troops to D.C. has led to substantial criticism directed at DeWine, with the guard historically only deployed in peacekeeping roles on city streets throughout the state during riots, and traditionally sent out-of-state on mission only during natural disasters. In addition to the unprecedented nature of the authorization, concerns have also been raised about whether deploying Ohio National Guard troops to city streets is actually an effective method to crack down on street crime in cities, with such specialized training typically only reserved for police officers.A spokesperson from DeWine’s office told CNN that the governor views the decision as keeping with state tradition, saying that “Ohio has traditionally helped the District of Columbia, Ohio mayors, and other states when they request assistance.”The spokesman, Dan Tierney, also said the cities of Cleveland, Toledo and Dayton had all previously requested and received assistance from the Ohio State Highway Patrol “to assist with resource surges to address rising crime.” The governor has also previously said that the national guard being deployed to D.C. does not do anything to actively detract from crime-reduction efforts that are ongoing within Ohio.See the crime stat comparisons among D.C. and Ohio’s six largest cities below.2024 reported violent crime incidents per 100,000 peopleCleveland: 1,550Dayton: 1,325Toledo: 1,048Washington, D.C.: 931Cincinnati: 848Akron: 823Columbus: 426
A total of 150 Ohio National Guard troops recently arrived in Washington, D.C., this week to help local police crack down on crime within the nation’s capital.
The controversial move was previously OK’ed by Gov. Mike DeWine on Aug. 17 at the request of President Donald Trump.
However, a new analysis of FBI crime data indicates that three of Ohio’s largest cities actually have violent crime rates that are higher than Washington, D.C.’s.
A recent analysis done by CNN of FBI data shows that the cities of Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo all had higher violent crime rates in 2024 than the nation’s capital.
According to the analysis, Cleveland had a violent crime rate of 1,550 incidents per 100,000 people in 2024, Dayton had a violent crime rate of 1,325 incidents per 100,000 people, and Toledo had a violent crime rate of 1,048 incidents per 100,000 people.
All are higher than Washington, D.C.’s 2024 violent crime rate of 931 incidents per 100,000 people.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati and Akron each recorded slightly lower violent crime rates than Washington last year, while Columbus had a dramatically lower violent crime rate at 426 incidents per 100,000 people.
Additionally, the states of Tennessee, Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana and South Carolina have also sent troops to D.C. from their own state national guards. Specifically, for those states, CNN’s analysis found that Memphis, Tennessee, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, each registered violent crime rates in 2024 that were over twice as high as Washington, D.C. And all states except for South Carolina had at least one major city within it that had a violent crime rate in 2024 that was higher than D.C.’s
Behind Memphis and Hattiesburg, Cleveland had the third-highest violent crime rate among major cities in the six states analyzed.
Since being authorized, the deployment of Ohio National Guard troops to D.C. has led to substantial criticism directed at DeWine, with the guard historically only deployed in peacekeeping roles on city streets throughout the state during riots, and traditionally sent out-of-state on mission only during natural disasters. In addition to the unprecedented nature of the authorization, concerns have also been raised about whether deploying Ohio National Guard troops to city streets is actually an effective method to crack down on street crime in cities, with such specialized training typically only reserved for police officers.
A spokesperson from DeWine’s office told CNN that the governor views the decision as keeping with state tradition, saying that “Ohio has traditionally helped the District of Columbia, Ohio mayors, and other states when they request assistance.”
The spokesman, Dan Tierney, also said the cities of Cleveland, Toledo and Dayton had all previously requested and received assistance from the Ohio State Highway Patrol “to assist with resource surges to address rising crime.” The governor has also previously said that the national guard being deployed to D.C. does not do anything to actively detract from crime-reduction efforts that are ongoing within Ohio.
See the crime stat comparisons among D.C. and Ohio’s six largest cities below.
2024 reported violent crime incidents per 100,000 people
Cleveland: 1,550
Dayton: 1,325
Toledo: 1,048
Washington, D.C.: 931
Cincinnati: 848
Akron: 823
Columbus: 426