No Kings and No Unrequested Soldiers!

As many Americans here and our supporters around the world prepare for a (prayerfully) peaceful day of civic protest called “No Kings Day,” I read a very appropriate op-ed by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Chief Michel Moore in the New York Times this morning. He also was an officer during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, when federal troops were last deployed in Los Angeles. His analysis and recommendations were spot-on.

President Trump has sent active-duty marines and soldiers to Los Angeles over the objections of the mayor and the governor. This is wrong.

I also know a bit of what Chief Moore is worried about. While I was not in Los Angeles in 1992, I was a street tactical officer in Minneapolis in 1967 when the governor called in the state National Guard to help us preserve order after a number of days of fires and destruction. Thankfully, no one died.

But as I recall, we, the police, were in charge. In fact, I recall the guardsmen, who were stationed on many corners, did not have ammunition — only their supervisors did.

Read Moore’s reasons to keep policing local until local folks determine they need more help. But most of all, it is, as he wrote, “tactically unsound.” I agree.

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“I Ran the L.A.P.D. I Know What Happens When Troops Are Sent to American Cities.”

Michel R. Moore, NYT, June 13, 2025

“Over the past week, President Trump has deployed more military troops to the streets of Los Angeles than there are stationed in Iraq and Syria. The president has warned that if protests break out in other cities, he’ll send troops to ‘attack’ with even greater force. ‘You’ll have them all over the country,’ he said.

“That would be a mistake. Deploying soldiers to any American city isn’t just at odds with the principles of our democracy. It’s tactically unsound. Let me be clear: I admire the honorable men and women who serve in our military. But they are not the right tool for this mission — certainly not under these conditions and not without first exhausting the substantial civilian resources already in place.

“I speak from experience. Over the course of more than 40 years with the Los Angeles Police Department — including nearly six as chief of police — I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t in times of civil unrest. I was an officer during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, when federal troops were last deployed to our streets. I witnessed the confusion and the risks created by sending soldiers trained for combat into a civilian environment. Even basic commands like “cover me” were misunderstood — interpreted by troops as calls for gunfire rather than tactical positioning. Whereas police officers are taught to use time, distance and de-escalation, soldiers are trained to apply overwhelming force.

“There is no question that serious unrest and violence have occurred in parts of downtown Los Angeles. Attacks on buildings and threats to public safety must be taken seriously. But this is not an insurrection. These incidents are localized, and local law enforcement agencies are fully capable of addressing them…

“None of this is to say the military has no role in supporting civil authorities. In times of natural disaster, true insurrection or total collapse of civil order, federal troops may be warranted.

“But this moment calls for clear thinking, not coercive overreach. It demands leaders who know the difference between strength and domination. The streets of Los Angeles — and cities across America — should be protected by those who are trained and equipped to serve with restraint, accountability and a deep understanding of the communities they serve. Our democracy depends on it.”

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Read the full article HERE.