Crime is down in Washington, D.C., but still a reality in some neighborhoods

Crime is down in Washington, D.C., but still a reality in some neighborhoods

Frank Langfitt

August 14, 2025 / 2:00 am

WASHINGTON — President Trump began to deploy National Guard troops, along with hundreds of federal agents , around Washington, D.C., this week, in a move to crack down on what he calls rampant, violent crime. The federal government has also taken over the D.C. Metropolitan police.

Some Washingtonians see the president's move as a power play. Others say crime in parts of Washington is indeed a big problem and they welcome more resources, but they doubt deploying federal agents and soldiers is a solution.

Ava, a business consultant, lives in the U-Street neighborhood, a gentrifying part of the capital where there is a mix of younger professionals and older, long-time