Feds To Be Banned From Supplying Local Police With Military-Style Weapons, Other Equipment
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - President Barack Obama is banning the federal government from providing local police departments with some military-style equipment.
While police departments, local and nationally, have benefited from this program, it's about to be curtailed due to concerns by the public of overly aggressive police tactics.
The White House suggested last year that Obama would continue the practice, but an interagency group found "substantial risk of misusing or overusing" items like those used last summer in Ferguson, Missouri, could undermine trust in police.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard was a part of the discussions in Washington - representing Sheriff's around the country. He says the decision made by Mr. Obama is a bit overblown.
"We said from the beginning that this was much to do about nothing. The reality of it is the program or the department of defense surplus equipment comes to police agencies about 84 percent of it has no kind of weapon or any kind of military application of any kind - it's boots, it's clothing, it's file cabinets, it's excess equipment," said Bouchard.
Bouchard said that the department is not militarized and the police have equipment that is common to the public whether it's an amour vehicle like ones used to pick up cash or rifles, much like the public can purchase at a sporting goods store. "All those things are pretty common in today's world."
"Their concern was tanks, weapons made for the battlefield and grenade launchers - those were the three that they actually spoke about at the White House when I was at the meeting," he said.
Bouchard says the type of equipment discussed in the White House was tanks, guns and grenade launchers. "It bans what people don't seek or use at any point ... most were hugely un-useful because they were so slow to get to a scene."
The ban is part of the White House's push to ease tensions between law enforcement and minority communities in the wake of racially charged incidents in Baltimore; Ferguson; and elsewhere.
Some Michigan police agencies were recipients of that equipment, which included armored vehicles, high-caliber firearms, and camouflage uniforms.
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