(WASHINGTON) — National Guard troops have begun 24-hour operations around Washington, D.C., as of Thursday morning, according to a Department of Defense official.

It’s part of President Donald Trump’s plan to address crime in Washington by taking over the city’s police department and deploying the National Guard troops.

Thursday’s National Guard presence in Washington included one small unit deployed to both Union Station and the National Mall early in the morning, according to a spokesperson for joint task force behind the operation. The idea is that residents and tourists would awake Thursday morning to the sight of military presence, according to a person familiar with the effort.

Earlier this week , some National Guard troops patrolled along the National Mall — a relatively

See Full Page