When the National Guard rolls into your city, it doesn’t mean the cavalry has arrived – it means the cops are running on fumes. President Trump’s deployments aren’t just political theater; they’re a flashing siren that local police are so understaffed and overworked they’re struggling to keep communities safe. From Tennessee to New Mexico, Portland to Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., the story is the same: slower response times, detectives drowning in cases, and the federal government stepping in because law enforcement desperately needs back up.
Guard deployments used to be rare. Detroit needed thousands of troops in 1967 as riots raged. New Orleans needed them after Hurricane Katrina left the city in ruins. During the George Floyd protests of 2020, soldiers were billed as extraordinary reinforcements, not substitutes for beat cops. Just last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul deployed National Guard members in response to a string of violent crimes in the New York City subway system. Today is different. Federal troops aren’t marching in because of once-in-a-generation disasters or targeted crisis response. They’re being summoned because local departments are too hollowed out to stand on their own.
Take Memphis. The city’s police department is at its lowest staffing level in more than 20 years. Patrol cars are scarce. 911 callers wait longer. Too many victims go without justice. Veterans are grinding through double shifts while new recruits flame out before they finish probation. The result? Criminals walk free while communities wait for help that isn’t coming.
Or look at Albuquerque, where the Guard was called in earlier this year. Police weren’t asking for extra tactical support. They needed troops on the ground to free up officers to patrol the streets. Recently, it was announced that National Guard support will also be sent to Española, New Mexico, to assist with crime, drug and housing issues. When you need soldiers for routine enforcement, that’s not policing — that’s survival mode.
Portland tells the same story. Trump’s deployment there set off lawsuits and political grandstanding. But the real issue wasn’t the theater. It was basic math. The city’s police bureau had been gutted for years. And while there has been opposition by some to the National Guard coming in, there are Portlanders who have expressed appreciation for the efforts to “clean up the city.”
Los Angeles shows how even America’s largest cities aren’t immune. Once home to one of the nation’s premier police forces, the LAPD has been shrinking for years. Too many officers are leaving through resignations and retirements. This summer, Trump sent thousands of National Guard troops and even Marines. That wasn’t politics. That was a city waving the white flag. Mayor Karen Bass has even accepted this reality by issuing an executive directive to “accelerate the hiring of more LAPD officers” by modernizing the hiring process.
And then there’s Washington, D.C. Even in the nation’s capital, police staffing is so depleted that the local union praised Trump’s decision to bring in the Guard. When cops on the ground are begging for reinforcements and cheering on federal troops, it shows how in need they are of support. If even our capital can’t keep enough officers on the beat, what does that say about the rest of the country?
These aren’t isolated failures. They’re warnings. Nationwide, law enforcement is in free fall. Survey results have found resignations up nearly 50% since 2020, while retirements remain well above normal. In most places, academy classes are shrinking, morale is cratering, and officers who stay are being pushed past their limits. Cities aren’t asking for troops because of rare emergencies. They’re asking because their own police ranks are too thin to function.
The truth is simple. Soldiers can stabilize chaos for a moment, but they’re not cops. They don’t know the neighborhoods, the suspects, or the people. They aren’t trained to build cases, de-escalate conflicts, or rebuild trust. Normalizing federal deployments isn’t public safety – it’s a death sentence for local self-government. The National Guard can march in, but they can’t stay forever. Until cities rebuild their ranks, fix recruitment and retention, and give policing a stable foundation, they’ll be forced to keep surrendering their streets.
Jillian Snider is an adjunct lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a retired New York City police officer.