Ohio troopers, national guard being sent to the southern border

Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers will join 300 Ohio National Guard troops along the Texas border at times this year to help with security and surveillance.

The federal government and Texas Gov. Greg Abbot issued requests for personnel. Troopers are expected to help local law enforcement with border surveillance, according to a news release from Gov. Mike DeWine.

A total of 14 troopers and supervisors plan to travel to Texas later this week for a two-week assignment. They will not be making arrests, according to DeWine.

DeWine approved deployment of 185 Ohio National Guard members late last week at the request of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Guard Bureau. Those troops will be on Title 10 full-time active duty status later this year.

About 115 members of the Ohio National Guard’s 1484th Transportation Co. were deployed previously to support southwest border operations after another request from the federal government. Those troops remain on active duty.

The troops are expected to provide non-law enforcement support to customs agents.

A spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Public Safety said the cost for the troopers’ Texas detail would not be known until it is complete. A spokesperson for the Ohio National Guard said current and future deployments on federal Title 10 status are at no cost to Ohio.

About 3,000 guard members from several states are included in the border mission.