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In reply to the discussion: BREAKING: Obama Bans Some Military-Style Equipment Provided to Police Through Federal Program [View all]Demeter
(85,373 posts)39. Obama's new rules for police actually ban just one new piece of equipment — the bayonet
https://theweek.com/speedreads/555866/obamas-new-rules-police-actually-ban-just-new-piece-equipment--bayonet
Yesterday, President Obama made headlines announcing new rules to limit the federal government's sale of military equipment to local police departments. As The Week's Peter Weber reported, the ban prohibited the Pentagon selling "tracked armored vehicles, weapons or ammunition of .50 caliber or higher, camouflage uniforms, grenade launchers, or bayonets" to police.
Unfortunately, an investigation by The Washington Examiner found that only one of the items on Obama's ban list (the bayonet) is actually affected by the rule change the rest were already banned, some for more than two decades.
Meanwhile, Obama's rules do not ban the sale of other military equipment, notably mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles the armored vehicles that became a defining image of police militarization in Ferguson, Missouri to local police. And though the Obama Administration says it will consider having police departments return some of the equipment they've already received, it's worth noting that some departments have already tried to do this, only to have their returns refused by the Pentagon.
Finally, it is potentially significant that Obama's prohibition targeted the "sale" of military equipment to local police, but past equipment transfers have typically been loans or gifts provided free of charge without a sales transaction.
Yesterday, President Obama made headlines announcing new rules to limit the federal government's sale of military equipment to local police departments. As The Week's Peter Weber reported, the ban prohibited the Pentagon selling "tracked armored vehicles, weapons or ammunition of .50 caliber or higher, camouflage uniforms, grenade launchers, or bayonets" to police.
Unfortunately, an investigation by The Washington Examiner found that only one of the items on Obama's ban list (the bayonet) is actually affected by the rule change the rest were already banned, some for more than two decades.
Meanwhile, Obama's rules do not ban the sale of other military equipment, notably mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles the armored vehicles that became a defining image of police militarization in Ferguson, Missouri to local police. And though the Obama Administration says it will consider having police departments return some of the equipment they've already received, it's worth noting that some departments have already tried to do this, only to have their returns refused by the Pentagon.
Finally, it is potentially significant that Obama's prohibition targeted the "sale" of military equipment to local police, but past equipment transfers have typically been loans or gifts provided free of charge without a sales transaction.
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BREAKING: Obama Bans Some Military-Style Equipment Provided to Police Through Federal Program [View all]
Hissyspit
May 2015
OP
My very first thought, recall all the crap already in the hands of the boys in blue.
marble falls
May 2015
#5
Exactly what I was thinking. I imagine the asshole PDs who have their military gear will
valerief
May 2015
#19
Probably a dumb question: Where are the poor inhabitants of the city being pushed to?
jwirr
May 2015
#23
So the problem of poverty is just being kicked down the road. Sooner or later we are going to have
jwirr
May 2015
#26
On our local tv station "news", in PD recruitment pieces they are called "The Big Toys"
Dont call me Shirley
May 2015
#16
Not really, plenty of such toys are still on the move and scheduled for delivery....
AuntPatsy
May 2015
#29