Above photo: A Miami Police officer watches protestors from a armored vehicle during a rally. Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images.
The Pentagonâs 1033 program is the primary mechanism by which police acquire military hardware. Most of the items transferred are innocuous, but thatâs only in terms of quantity; in terms of value, combat gear dominates the ledger. Not surprisingly the latter fact typically escapes police/DOD discourse.
MatĂ©riel is whatâs counted here. The values below reflect that of military hardware (âcontrolledâ equipment) transferred through the 1033 program and not the office supplies or generators or t-shirts or whatever (âuncontrolledâ equipment).
- The most common items sent to police this quarter were firearm magazines: 940 total; 600 for 9mm pistols; 331 for 5.56mm rifles (M4 or M-16); 9 for 7.62mm rifles (M-14s, presumably).
- Military vehicles (246) comprised most of the total acquisition value ($21,902,009 out of $33,506,765).
Policy action
Congress needs to pressure Biden to issue an executive order to 1) prevent future transfers; and 2) recall military equipment from police custody. Unlike the âuncontrolledâ equipment referenced above, âcontrolledâ equipment (the dangerous stuff) is on a conditional loan. Biden can simply order DOD to take it back from the police. See SPRIâs latest policy brief for more:
President Biden can issue an executive order that forces police to give up the combat gear acquired through the Pentagon’s 1033 program. So far, he has not. Congress needs to act.
Our latest policy brief: https://t.co/rhF990vY53
â Security Policy Reform Institute (@security_reform) April 1, 2021
Source: Popularresistance.org