Thousands Of National Guard Members Join Police For Inauguration

The ranks of D.C.'s police force is swelling by the thousands over the next several days, as the District welcomes a large group of national guardsmen into its midst to help manage the Inauguration Day crowds.

On Friday, hundreds of national guardsmen from Pennsylvania marching into the D.C. Armory, where they were welcomed by Brig. Gen. Arthur Hinaman.

"A Big chunk of what they will be doing is traffic control and crowd management," Hinaman says. "We'll have some folks assisting the Secret Service with the access points into the parade. All whole lot of logistics support. Feeding and taking care of all of these soldiers and airmen."

The troops are being deputized by D.C. police Lt. Kervin Johnson.

"They will have full arrest powers, so they'll be acting as law enforcement agents," Johnson says.

These troops will not be armed, according to Gen. Hinaman.

"We are here to augment the Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. Park Police and other agencies, but there will not be any of our folks outside of visual distance of a police officer," Hinaman says.

The 6,000 guardsmen and women are being processed at the D.C. Armory at Fort Belvoir and at Andrews Air Force Base. The troops will sleep and eat at several D.C. public schools and at the D.C. Armory.