White House Moves To Reauthorize Military Equipment For Police

teleSUR 

 

The Obama White House is set to authorize police agencies to once again acquire military equipment, a move that is sure to be met with heavy criticism from activists seeking greater accountability from police in light of regular police killings of Black men.

 

Reuters reported Thursday that the U.S. government will revisit a 2015 ban on police forces getting riot gear, armored vehicles and other military-grade equipment from the U.S. armed forces.

 

The use of military gear by police agencies was criticized by supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement and other critics of police impunity and brutality as being part of a broader militarization of police, which was seen as a factor in the mistreatment of demonstrators and U.S. residents.

 

In response to the public outcry, the White House issued a ban in May 2015 on the transfer of some equipment from the military to police.

 

However, in light of recent killings of police, President Barack Obama agreed to review each banned item, two police organization directors told Reuters. 

 

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