After calling up the National Guard on Friday, Aug. 28, for up to 1,000 Guardsman to potentially help municipal leaders, Gov. Charlie Baker deactivated the National Guard on Monday.
Baker said National Guard members were there to assist municipalities until further order. National Guard personnel were ready to assist cities and towns throughout the activation but did not take an active role in any municipal operations.
The worry seems to have been about potential protests following the police-involved shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
Major protests did not materialize throughout the region though.
“Following coordination with municipal leaders through the weekend regarding potential large scale demonstrations, Governor Baker today (Aug. 31) authorized the Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard to end the Governor’s Aug. 28 activation order. That activation, which made Guard personnel available in the event that municipal leaders required their assistance, will end at midnight tonight,” said an administration spokesperson.
Personnel drawn from the Guard’s military police units undergo federally-accredited police training and receive additional instruction on Massachusetts police training standards. When assisting a local police department, they use that department’s policies, radio frequencies, etc., whenever possible. While federal Title 32 funding has been extended for COVID-19 missions, Guard personnel activated by this order served on state active duty.