FBI agents are being reassigned from their specialized counterterrorism and investigative duties to perform street patrols in Washington D.C., implementing President Trump’s crime emergency declaration. This marks the latest in a series of diversions that have seen agents handle immigration enforcement and Jeffrey Epstein document reviews instead of core national security work.
Who: Rank-and-file FBI agents specializing in complex threat investigations are being deployed alongside Metropolitan Police officers. The reassignments are ordered by FBI Director Kash Patel under the Trump administration’s directives.
What: Agents are performing community policing duties including neighborhood patrols, vehicle stops, and arrests despite lacking standard police training and equipment. This follows earlier reassignments to immigration enforcement and Epstein case reviews.
When: The street patrol deployments began in August 2025, with agents pulled from their regular duties starting in March 2025 for Epstein document work. The current 30-day emergency period is set to end soon.
Where: Primarily in Washington D.C. neighborhoods like Navy Yard, where federal agents are visibly patrolling streets alongside local police.
Why: Implementation of President Trump’s declared crime emergency in the capital. The administration cites rising violence and disorder, aiming to ‘make DC safe again’ through increased law enforcement presence.
How: Agents receive minimal orientation before deployment, working extended shifts without standard police tools like tasers. Unlike planned FBI operations, these patrols involve spontaneous public interactions agents aren’t trained to handle.
Impact: Core investigations into foreign espionage, terrorism, and major crimes are being delayed or abandoned. Morale is at historic lows with agents fearing for safety during untrained police work, while experts warn of constitutional risks during public interactions.
What’s Next: The 30-day emergency period may be extended despite agents hoping to return to their specialties. Director Patel has signaled ongoing deployments until D.C. is ‘safe,’ while internal tensions grow over the bureau’s changing mission.