Obama To Halt Feds From Providing Some Military-Style Equipment To Police

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Nine months after police in riot gear dispelled racially charged protests, President Barack Obama is prohibiting the federal government from providing some military-style equipment to local departments and putting stricter controls on other weapons and gear distributed to law enforcement.

The surprise announcement comes after the White House suggested last year that Obama would maintain programs that provide the type of military-style equipment used to respond to demonstrators last summer in Ferguson, Missouri, because of their broader contribution to public safety.

But an interagency group found "substantial risk of misusing or overusing" items like tracked armored vehicles, high-powered firearms and camouflage could undermine trust in police, the Associated Press reported.

With scrutiny on police only increasing in the ensuing months after a series of highly publicized deaths of black suspects nationwide, Obama also is unveiling the final report of a task force he created to help build confidence between police and minority communities in particular.

The White House said that effective immediately, the federal government will no longer fund or provide armored vehicles that run on a tracked system instead of wheels, weaponized aircraft or vehicles, firearms or ammunition of .50-caliber or higher, grenade launchers, bayonets or camouflage uniforms.

In addition, a longer list of equipment the federal government provides will come under tighter control, including wheeled armored vehicles like Humvees, manned aircraft, drones, specialized firearms, explosives, battering rams and riot batons, helmets and shields.

Starting in October, police will have to get approval from their city council, mayor or some other local governing body to obtain it, provide a persuasive explanation of why it is needed and have more training and data collection on the use of the equipment.

The federal government also is exploring ways to recall prohibited equipment already distributed.

Deputy Chief Michael Downing, Commanding Officer of LAPD's Counter-Terrorism & Special Operations Bureau, told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO the department does not have any armored vehicles that were acquired from military acquisition.

"We do have armored vehicles that we used federal grants to obtain, they're designed for the civilian environment, not for a war environment, and they do protect our cops and we do need 'em.

"But we only bring them out when we need 'em, and we put 'em away when we've completed the mission," said Downing.

The LAPD does have "sustainable" military equipment such as tents, boots and other items that would be used in a "major" natural disaster," Downing added.

Downing also told KCAL9's Dave Bryan that none of the department's military-style equipment was obtained through the federal excess supply process; thus, it wouldn't fall within the president's order.

"The armor that we have today was purchased with the federal grant money and our own budget," he said. "The message is that 'This isn't a war theater.' This is a community. It's a community that needs to be served and protected. And that's what we use the equipment for."

But members of the South Los Angeles mosque with whom the deputy chief was meeting on Monday night said there are still negative perceptions of police.

"There is a perception that they are an occupying force, especially when police officers are not indicted or being brought to trial for shooting unarmed citizens," Khalid Muqaddim said.

But Sacramento attorney David Mastagni says the president's making a mistake.

"It's going to decrease public safety. Put the public at risk. Increase the risk of law enforcement officers of injury or death in the line of duty," he said.

The announcements come as Obama is visiting Camden, New Jersey, one of the country's most violent and poorest cities.

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