Illinois National Guard deployed to assist Chicago police for DNC
CHICAGO - With large numbers of protesters expected at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the city’s police will receive assistance from the Illinois National Guard.
Governor JB Pritzker confirmed Sunday that about 250 members of the Illinois National Guard have been called up to be on standby during the convention.
"We have 13,000 National Guard in the state of Illinois. And very proud of those National Guardsmen and we do call them up when we really need them," Pritzker said.
Pritzker also confirmed to FOX 32 that the 250 Illinois National Guard troops have been activated to support Chicago police.
Many of these guardsmen are stationed at police headquarters at 35th and Michigan, with some seen outside the building. Photos obtained by FOX 32 also show the guardsmen inside the police headquarters.
Pritzker said those being called to duty are trained as police officers with experience in crowd control and explained how they will be used.
"They are really on standby. They are at the perimeter. Nobody expects that we will have to use them for anything really serious. But we also want to make sure we have additional law enforcement types who are in uniform and are trained to be police available," Pritzker said.
During the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last month, 1700 National Guard troops were deployed to assist security efforts.
On Saturday, Superintendent Larry Snelling deputized about 300 police officers from Milwaukee and downstate Illinois to assist Chicago police.
"I want to reassure everyone that we will have resources in every single neighborhood, so it's not forgotten that we have a city to protect. It's not just around the venues and the DNC," Snelling said.
The National Guard troops are intended as an insurance policy. If the DNC proceedings go smoothly, they may not be needed.
However, if protests escalate, they will be deployed, with additional support available if necessary.
The Illinois National Guard released the following statement on their deployment:
"The activation of National Guard members was planned months in advance and in coordination with the City of Chicago, the U.S. Secret Service, and the State of Illinois. For security reasons, we will not release the exact numbers of activated members or the locations of where they are posted."
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Maj. Gen. Rodney Boyd, the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard, emphasized the readiness and commitment of the troops. "Our soldiers and airmen are assisting civilian authorities to ensure a safe and secure environment during the Democratic National Convention," Boyd said.