Obama ordering restrictions on police militarization

May 18, 2015

BearcatU.S. President Barack Obama plans to issue an order Monday banning federal authorities from providing certain types of military-style equipment to local police departments. [New York Times]

Obama is expected to prohibit police departments from using federal funds to acquire tracked armored vehicles, camouflage uniforms and the highest-caliber firearms and ammunition. The decree is aimed at reducing tensions between law enforcement and minority communities in the aftermath of civil unrest that has occurred in Ferguson, Baltimore and other cities.

After last year’s unrest, Obama issued an executive order creating a task force that would analyze the militarization of police and issue recommendations on addressing the problem. The task force is releasing its report Monday, and Obama is reportedly taking some of its recommendations.

Obama accepted the task force’s recommendations on imposing additional restrictions on wheeled armored vehicles, pyrotechnics, battering rams and riot gear. Likewise, he is implementing the group’s recommendation on creating stiffer training requirements for police use of military-style equipment.

Through U.S. Defense and Homeland Security Department grants, San Luis Obispo County law enforcement agencies have acquired items including armored vehicles, assault rifles, body armor and surveillance equipment.

Both the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office and the San Luis Obispo police Department have acquired Lenco Bearcats, which are armored vehicles larger in size than Hummers. The regional SWAT team has used the Bearcat when responding to incidents in which armed residents barricaded themselves in buildings.


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How does a conversation on police equipment turn into a conversation on race? some of you have obviously been listening to our rebel-rousing president; simple minds are swayed too easily these days…. I want my police department to have whatever they need to protect the lives and property in my town. In today’s world…why would anyone want their local blue line weakened? It’s a head shaker…it really is.


when the number of civilians killed by law enforcement in this country is 50 times that of civilians killed by terrorist, you really gotta not only wonder, but act


A strange approach indeed to the century old problem of solving racism in America. Our founding fathers would simply be appalled with how we have evolved.


As would Rev. King.


The police need a tracked assault vehicle just as much as we need hand grenades sold at WallMart


I am going to Walmart today, what aisle are the grenades in?


Did the sheriffs get their armored vehicle from the army or did they buy it with their own money?

I don’t want the oolice to have tanks, but having a bulletproof truck doesn’t seem like a bad idea in case some nut shoots up a neighborhood or takes a bunch of school kids hostage.


They can and very much are killing people daily with impunity so these relatively meaningless restrictions to an already absurd practice doesn’t do much for me personally. What’s even worse than the occupying army is the citizenry determined to pretend they just don’t see. Law enforcement is a self fulfilling prophecy even in ideal situations as should be completely obvious to anyone who took that childish shit about “two wrongs don’t make a right” to heart instead of only abusing the words to serve an end.


agentofevolution3,


Relative to this story, is the FACT that the Republican citizenry of Texas and it’s GOP governor does see the use of military equipment and men in the way of Obama trying to take over Texas with the ruse of “Jade Helm 15!”


http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/05/02/403865824/texas-governor-deploys-state-guard-to-stave-off-obama-takeover


Fellow Christians, what state will Obama take over next? Let us pray that he won’t take over California next!


Obama Derangement Syndrome made manifest !


Slowerfaster,


As any GOPer in good standing knows, all of these disturbing situations concerning the black population is all Obama’s fault.


Race relations are worse now than before Obama…why?

Easy…its what Community Agitators do…they agitate.


Gee…all it took President Obama to ‘agitate’ was to be elected president ( twice ) while wearing darker skin. Sure took a lot of nerve for him to upset all of those meek hidden racists, wasn’t it ?


Actually it took Obama taking the constitution and using it as kindling.


Slowerfaster, you can always be counted on to show up on CCN just to call everyone else a racist.


The Angry Haters on the left….all they have is the attack game, which makes Hillary their PERFECT Candidate to fail with.


Oh the Joy of a Rich White Woman getting smacked down by a Constitutional Conservative with Libertarian tenancies….Nov 2016 will be a Blast!


Wrong again. Most often, I imply, and the racists jump up in reaction revealing themselves for exactly what they are, but pretend they are not.


You bet I’m going to draw out racists whenever I can.


Slowerfaster – I DON’T care what color or sex the president of the United States is…it’s when they abuse their power and make race baiting comments about almost every stinkin’ incident. Prez BO has made statements against our law enforcement agencies and NOW he’s wanted to take away equipment that might be helpful or protect them in the hostile environment HE’S flamed!! He definitely was NOT the great “uniter” that his supportors tauted…he’s created MORE divisiveness than before. Clinton was a lying/cheating creeper – and I couldn’t believe people wanted to keep in the Whitehouse either. When BO was re-elected, I thought, has this world gone “MAD”? Not only are we more dysfunctional when it comes to race relations but he’s going to “give away the farm” to the illegals and he’s destroyed our health care system! Can’t wait for 2016 — when I can say yes to “CHANGE” for sure this time! He needs to GOOOOOOO!


I can hardly wait until Hillary or some other Democrat is elected president, and Barack Obama is appointed to the Supreme Court at the first vacancy.