Machine Guns for U.S police?

Machine Guns for U.S police?

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WEAPONSA two-decade-old Pentagon program — the 1033 Program — makes available to state and local police military equipment that the military no longer wants. Without state or local oversight, state and local law enforcement, and even natural resources departments, can make requests through a designated state coordinator, who, with Pentagon officials, has final say on granting equipment requests. About $5.4 billion worth of equipment has been distributed since the program began in 1997.

State lawmakers in many states want their states to have more of a say in what military gear law enforcement agencies in the state should get. Law enforcement in Florida requested, and received, forty-seven mine-resistant vehicles and thirty-six grenade launchers, while police in Texas received seventy-three mine-resistant vehicles and a $24.3 million aircraft.

The civil unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, last August after the killing of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager shot by a white police officer, brought to light the increasing militarization of police in America.

According to HomeLand Security News Wire this more than a decade-old trend began with the 1033 Program, which makes available to state and local police Pentagon equipment that the military no longer wants. Without state or local oversight, law enforcement and even natural resources departments can make requests through a designated state coordinator, who, with Pentagon officials, has final say on granting equipment requests. About $5.4 billion worth of equipment has been distributed since the program began in 1997.

Eight months after the unrest in Ferguson between heavily armed police and protesters, lawmakers in Minnesota, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont are trying to gain oversight over the 1033 Program.