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In response to requests from local officials, Gov. Roy Cooper has authorized 450 North Carolina National Guardsmen to mobilize due to civil unrest, Lt. Col. Matt DeVivo, NCNG public affairs officer, reported Sunday night.

“The Guard will support local authorities and help safeguard the lives and property of North Carolinians and the ability for individuals to exercise their right to peacefully demonstrate,” Col DeVivo stated.

North Carolina is among 15 other states and the District of Columbia that has called out the National Guard.

Tyrrell County Sheriff Kevin Sawyer said Monday morning that he had received no reports of civil unrest in the county, “but we are ready.”

The NC Guard has long standing partnerships with local and state officials that ensures all response efforts are well coordinated, the colonel reported.

“Many of the mobilized Guardsmen are the same Citizen-Soldiers that for over two months have helped their fellow North Carolinians across the state, distributing food, essential household items and conducting COVID-19 testing during the pandemic,” Col. DeVivo commented. “This mobilization will not impact NC Guard’s current COVID-19 response efforts.”

All the mobilized NC Guardsmen supporting local authorities have undergone special training in site security operations, crowd control and inter-agency operations, Col. DeVivo said.