Put a soldier on your block

The latest unique initiative by The White House involved calling the nation’s military leaders to a meeting in Virginia to –among other things – tell the generals and admirals to get ready to fight crime in many of America’s big cities.

This meant dispatching National Guard and active duty troops into Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Gotham City, etc. to take on a policing role.

I’m not so sure about that. I mean, I think we have the world’s greatest fighting forces, but I don’t think we’ll find in their ranks many Sherlock Holmes, Lt. Columbo’s or that lady from “Murder She Wrote.”
Police work is very different from “taking the hill.” But I do believe that there is a use for the men and women in camo that we could benefit from.

Code enforcement.

Now, I’m being semi-serious, here. Secretary of Defense/War Pete Hegseth even made reference to the “broke windows” theory of law enforcement in which “small things” like vandalism and graffiti can be a precursor to crime.

Let’s be honest. Isn’t there is a neighbor who hasn’t mowed his lawn since Labor Day, some apartment-dwellers who play polka music at 100 decibels at 3 in the morning? Tired of those cheeky teens on their souped -up e-bikes running your grandma off the sidewalk?

Police say they can’t be everywhere. But, for instance, a 15,000-strong infantry division could make quite an impact in a suburban city.

Scofflaws who have been ignoring city requests to get those ugly junk cars off the driveway might take a different outlook when an Abrams tank with a 105mm gun barrel shows up with chains and a hook.
Fireworks block party offenders will find that overflights by A-10 Warthogs might put a damper on their deafening concert of pyrotechnics from a desert town in Nevada come July.

I agree with Pete. There is a role for the military in America’s cities. It’s just a little different from what he has in mind.