Maryland National Guard creating crowd, riot control reaction force

Kate Cimini, The Baltimore Sun on Nov 6, 2025

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BALTIMORE — The Maryland National Guard is set to establish a crowd control reaction force by April, following an order from a top military commander requiring every state, territory and the District of Columbia create a “quick reaction force” that provides crowd and riot control as well as use riot batons and shields.

The state’s National Guard has prioritized creating the quick reaction force and intends to dedicate hundreds of soldiers to the effort.

“As Commander in Chief of the Maryland National Guard, the Governor remains confident in the Guard’s commitment to their mission protecting and assisting the residents of Maryland under his command,” Gov. Wes Moore’s Senior Advisor and Communications Director Rhyan Lake, told The Baltimore Sun in an email.

Signed by the Pentagon’s National Guard Bureau’s Director of Operations, Maj. Gen Ronald Burkett, the Oct. 8 memo was first reported on by The Guardian.

The memo requires quick reaction forces to be able to deploy 25% of the force within eight hours, 50% within 12 hours and 100% within 24 hours.

When reached for comment, the Maryland Military Department referred The Sun to the National Guard Bureau of Public Affairs, which confirmed the formation of a Maryland-based quick reaction force, to be in place no later than April 1, 2026.

The memo followed an Aug. 25 executive order, No. 14339, a National Guard spokesman told The Baltimore Sun.

“These on-call elements have existed for approximately 20 years in every state and territory as a response force available to governors for a wide range of tasks,” the spokesman said in an email. “Their capabilities include civil disturbance operations, crowd control, area security, critical infrastructure protection and disaster response.”

The spokesman said the action is intended to “fine-tune, augment and adequately resource National Guard civil support elements” in advance of FIFA World Cup matches in 11 U.S. cities, the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and celebrations of the nation’s 250th year.

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