‘Take Back Our Tanks’: Police Can’t Get Rid Of Military Gear In Ferguson Aftermath

[Purveyor]

Police departments that have been slammed for increased militarization through the Defense Department’s surplus equipment program now have a new dilemma. Some of them have discovered they cannot give their unused war supplies back to the Pentagon.

The DoD’s Excess Property Program ‒ also known as the 1033 Program ‒ furnishes police departments around the country with excess weapons, vehicles, and office supplies at no cost to the jurisdiction. But what has been criticized as the increasing militarization of police became a hot topic over the summer after riots broke out in Ferguson, Missouri and law enforcement responded with what many saw as excessive force and unnecessary weaponry.

The 1033 Program has become the subject of numerous reports and studies, as well as congressional inquiries. Several cities, including Davis, California, have told their police departments to get rid of military inventory, including mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles.

However, some jurisdictions have found that getting rid of their military surplus is easier said than done.

An officer with the Chelan County Sheriff's Department in central Washington says he would love for someone to take three amphibious tanks off his hands.

"We really want to get rid of these," Undersheriff John Wisemore told Mother Jones. "We've been trying to get the military to take them back since 2004."

more...

http://rt.com/usa/192040-police-return-excess-equipment-pentagon/

Mother Jones Copy: Police Want to Get Rid of Their Pentagon-Issued Combat Gear. Here's Why They Can't.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/09/police-departments-struggle-return-pentagon-military-surplus-gear

[Rochester]

1. Sell them for scrap.

[MADem]

3. This ^^--just pull 'em apart and sell off the chunks. I don't understand why they can't figure this

out. Do they want the cash outlay they put out back for the "shipping and handling?" Too effing bad on that score!

[Half-Century Man]

2. Drive them to the nearest active duty or reserve base, park them just outside the gate,

Give the sentry the keys and go home.

[Stryst]

4. Donate them to the U.N. for use by peacekeeping forces

Im sure there's some legitimate use for the damn things other than selling to China as scrap metal.

[CaptainTruth]

5. Seems like some vehicles could be useful to the National Guard?

Not far from where I live is an Army Navy surplus store. The owner has a few WWII vehicles parked in front as a permanent display, around the flag pole. Seems like these unwanted vehicles could be used for similar displays, outside VFW halls, by veteran's memorials, etc so the public could see them, after all, we paid for them.

[packman]

6. Dump them into the ocean - coral reefs and such

or sell them to those those paintball shooting places, bet they would love to have them as props.