PRESIDENT Obama announced on Monday, Dec. 1 that he would tighten standards on the provision and use of military-style equipment by local police, responding to concerns during the recent violent protests in Ferguson, Mo. The president is preparing an executive order to better track the weapons and military gear flowing from the federal government to police departments nationwide.
Obama ordered a review of the White House’s decade-old strategy of arming local police forces with military equipment, after widespread criticism of the Ferguson protests—including tanks and other military-style vehicles deployed onto the civilian streets—following the fatal shooting of teenager Michael Brown.
The report released Monday concluded that the government should make consistent standards and major improvements to programs, regulate police training, and oversee the allotting of equipment.
For years, the government has provided nearly $18 billion dollars in funds and resources to support state and local law enforcement programs. However, according to the new report, most of that money goes to back office assets, such as supplies and furniture; with just a smaller percentage going to heavier, more controlled equipment, such as vehicles and gear from the Pentagon.
The White House response to the changes has been delayed, and previous efforts in Congress to control the programs have also fizzled, testifying to the fact that transferring military-style gear to local communities remains politically popular with the municipalities. Congress has not acted to limit its grants and transfers of such equipment.
“These programs, in the main, have been valuable and have provided state and local law enforcement with needed assistance as they carry out their critical missions in helping to keep the American people safe,” the federal report stated.
Militarization of the police is also part of a broader counterterrorism strategy to fortify American cities. However, curtailing the transfers according to experts would be a reversal of policy and has little actual support in Congress.
Instead, the President is focusing on standardizing regulations across federal agencies—such as the Department of Defense—that supply military-style equipment.
In short, President Obama’s planned order would require better tracking of the local police equipment, improve training for officers, and mandate reviews following “significant” incidents that use the necessary equipment.
Many law enforcement officials have said that more attention should be paid to training local police, not monitoring equipment. For instance, the Justice Department has pushed for improved training for police agencies in the St. Louis area, encouraging them to be “guardians” rather than “warriors” of communities.
Recently, police tactical units have taken to wearing camouflage. Some agencies have even received heavy-duty battlefield vehicles like MRAPs, Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected. In addition, tens of thousands of pieces of military-style equipment were transferred just last year, including at least 92,442 small arms, 44,275 night-vision devices, 5,235 Humvees, and 616 aircraft.
The federal report suggested standardizing training for police to respect civil rights and liberties, and tightening control over equipment programs through a universal database, officials said.
In addition, a task force will be formed to monitor, train, and improve local policing. The task force, led by appointed Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, will produce a report with recommendations on how to “promote effective crime reduction while building public trust,” the White House said.
The government also announced part of a $263 million program that will provide up to 50,000 body cameras for police officers to wear, similar to a campaign the Brown family has supported. The video footage from the lapel-mounted cameras could help clarify disputed and unclear incidents, such as the Ferguson case between Mike Brown and the officer who shot him, Darren Wilson. White House officials also believe the cameras could help improve trust between communities and their police departments.
Both the President and Attorney General Eric Holder are planning to meet with law enforcement officials and civil rights leaders throughout the week to discuss the racially-charged mistrust growing between some communities and the police, and to talk about possible solutions to this issue.
(With reports from New York Times, ABC News, and CNN)
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(LA Midweek December 3-5, 2014 Sec. A pg.1)
