DC National Guard surge didn't reduce violent crime

The nearly 10-month presence of National Guard troops in Washington has not helped reduce violent crime in the nation's capital, according to a new study from the Niskanen Center, a Washington policy think tank.

While the guard's presence in Washington helped drive down some crime — including a 24 percent decline in opportunistic property crime — the report found it is not the correct tool for violent offenses and comes at a far higher cost than traditional police law enforcement.