The National Guard is not a monolithic force where every member is trained for the same mission. Most Guardsmen are skilled professionals — but in fields like aircraft maintenance, medical services, logistics, and construction. While nearly all are trained to handle weapons, that is vastly different from being a police officer. Law enforcement requires specialized training in de-escalation, civilian engagement, and the appropriate use of force — skills not typically part of military training.
The Guard plays a vital role in our nation’s emergency response system, supporting active and reserve forces, assisting in disasters, and providing civil defense. However, only a small portion of Guard units have law-enforcement authority, and many of those individuals already serve full-time as local police officers. Calling them up for city duty simply pulls officers away from their regular communities. Deploying troops into neighborhoods could easily escalate tensions or lead to tragic misunderstandings. Even with today’s professionalism, history reminds us through the Kent State shootings how dangerous it can be when military personnel are used for civilian crowd control. Even experienced police departments can face “excessive force” incidents due to stress, fatigue, or poor communication — the risks multiply with soldiers unfamiliar with civilian policing.
A better approach would be to strengthen and coordinate existing law-enforcement resources — for example, by temporarily assigning officers from lower-crime jurisdictions, county sheriff’s offices, or the Ohio State Highway Patrol to assist in targeted patrols. These agencies already operate under civilian authority and are trained for community engagement, not combat. National Guard members, by contrast, generally lack training in non-lethal methods such as mediation, de-escalation, and use of non-lethal weapons. If the Guard is to help, it should be in supporting roles — such as legal officers assisting prosecutors or medical personnel helping in emergency rooms — not in policing civilians.
At the same time, Dayton should take full advantage of modern technology to enhance public safety. Proven tools such as gunshot-detection networks, high-resolution surveillance cameras (airborne, vehicle-mounted, or fixed), and advanced forensic analytics can dramatically improve situational awareness, speed up response times, and strengthen prosecutions. Unfortunately, many of these systems have been scaled back or deactivated in recent years for political or privacy reasons. Rather than abandoning them, the city should revisit and responsibly expand these technologies with clear oversight and privacy safeguards. This is one area where the Guard could provide valuable expertise — in managing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems — without crossing constitutional lines.
Ultimately, real safety comes from smarter policing, better technology, and stronger community partnerships — not militarization. Dayton can and should lead by example, proving that public safety and civil liberties can coexist. We absolutely need a serious, non-partisan discussion about crime prevention — but putting National Guard troops on city streets is not a thoughtful or effective solution.
Charles “Dennis” Hall is a retired Aerospace Engineer with ~30 years combined active duty and civilian service with the USAF, mostly at WPAFB. He is a resident of Beavercreek.
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