US DOD 1033 program arms police with free military equipment

US DOD 1033 program arms police with free military equipment

Posted By: AndiV
Date: Wednesday, 27-Feb-2013 13:24:05

There is no cost to local taxpayers since they’ve already paid for the equipment with their federal taxes. According to the most recent inventory by the Georgia Department of Public Safety, $200 million in surplus military equipment and weapons is in the hands of 600 Georgia law enforcement agencies, large and small. Some say it’s an example of the militarization of police departments. “I think military-grade weapons should be restricted to just that, the military. If local police run into a situation where someone is using those types of weapons, then call in the National Guard,” said LaShanda Hardin, who lives in Clayton County. The Cato Institute, a Washington-based think tank that promotes individual liberty and limited government, believes the military surplus program should be shut down, said Tim Lynch, director of the criminal justice project. “When this equipment is given away, police departments start saying, ‘Let’s grab it.’” And once the equipment is in the hands of law enforcement, “we have militarized units going into the community in situations where they aren’t warranted,” Lynch said. http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=270519