Obama Bans Gifting of Military Style Equipment to Police

SeaBreeze

SeaBreeze

Endlessly Groovin'
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I think this is a good move by Obama, here's his reasoning behind it. http://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/18/president-obama-bans-gifting-military-equipment-police.html


No more playing war on citizens with federally funded military-style equipment for local police. So says President Obama. Police need to have a “guardian”, not a warrior, mind-set about their communities.

In an effort to create trust between police and the communities they serve, President Obama is taking a number of steps based on a report released today.

One of those steps is to prohibit the federal gifting of some military-style equipment to local police, such as “tracked armored vehicles, weaponized aircraft and vehicles, bayonets, grenade launchers, and large-caliber firearms.”

It will also limit the federal gifting or funding of military-style equipment such as “armored vehicles, tactical vehicles, riot gear, and specialized firearms and ammunition.”
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This is but one step among a list of recommendations in order to improve the relationship between police and the communities they serve, including a body-worn camera pilot program, an adherence to “Constitutional policing”, and more — these recommendations will be implemented by October 1, 2015.

These policies aim to keep both police and citizens safer, and to foster a sense of trust between police and the community. They are also meant to ensure that the civil liberties of citizens are not met with military-style equipment designed to intimidate citizens, as we have increasingly seen around the country after 9/11, when the Bush administration expanded efforts to arm local police, leading to a militarized, but untrained and unregulated, police force.

Protecting the civil liberties of citizens should be a huge issue in every election. Republicans, even the Libertarian leaning, like to use fear to justify assaults on liberty.

In the wake of shame-inducing patriotic language used to silence dissenters, our country has allowed our police to be given military-style equipment with no limitations as to the usage, and so it was used against citizens.
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But can we control rioters without grenade launchers?
 

Just an observation on the nature of our society, especially if bikers get out of control...
 
Ralphy1 said:
Just an observation on the nature of our society, especially if bikers get out of control...
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Except Ralph.. in looking at the pictures of the Waco shootout.. I didn't see any military vehicles or tanks.. or perhaps those are reserved for only CERTAIN neighborhoods and protesters..?
 
Some of the recent news footage makes the police look like a Military Invasion. I would think that some tear gas, and perhaps the threat of a blast from a 12 gauge shotgun, should suffice in the vast majority of disturbances. In an extreme case, they can call in the National Guard...if a military style response is needed.

But, then, on the flip side of this issue, is the problem of some of these thugs targeting the police with ambushes, etc. There have been over 40 cops lost on duty already this year...several by gunfire...a couple during a routine traffic stop.
Its an increasing problem...and the days of the friendly neighborhood cop interacting with the locals seems to be coming to an end.
 

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