Obama bans some military-style equipment provided to police

AP ^ | May 18, 2015 7:28 AM (ET) | By NEDRA PICKLER

[DJ MacWoW]

WASHINGTON (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.

[bgill]

More tax dollars down the tubes.

[Washi]

Wow. I actually agree with Obama on something.

[Sopater]

What the hell?

First, it’s practically given away for free to local police in exchange for certain promises and controls by the federal government, and now he thinks that banning it is an acceptable alternative?

This gets more alarming by the day...

[Ken H]

Where does the Constitution authorize fedgov to supply local police in the first place?

If you can't find where it does so, then how is ending or curtailing an unconstitutional fedgov action a power grab by fedgov?

[Duckdog]

Now that hes got a bunch of jacka$$es al wee-weed up, now he wants police to have nothing more than a handgun.

[Sopater]

Where does the Constitution authorize fedgov to supply local police in the first place? If you can't find where it does so, then how is ending or curtailing an unconstitutional fedgov action a power grab by fedgov?

First show me where it says that it can prevent (ban) the local police from acquiring such equipment.

[MrB]

Yes, I’ve asserted/believed for quite some time that Obamajarett is gearing up for an invasion of the suburbs with their zombie orc armies from the urban core,

and that they will use law enforcement to protect their hordes from the homeowners.

[MrB]

Very subtle thing to notice here -
the police departments aren’t banned from HAVING them,
just from USING them.

Forward positioning for the federal police force.

[Sopater]

...the police departments aren’t banned from HAVING them, just from USING them.

... Interesting. Not sure just what to make of it, but I don't like the federal gov't either providing the equipment nor preventing the use of it.

Local police/authorities should be beholden to the local citizenry, and the federal authorities should be beholden to the states and the citizenry.

[Ken H]

First show me where it says that it can prevent (ban) the local police from acquiring such equipment.

No where, but what does that have to do with this topic? AFAIK, they're not making such a ban (if they are, then that would be unconstitutional). They're banning fedgov from giving certain military equipment to locals.

What are your answers to my questions?

[Sopater]

Where does the Constitution authorize fedgov to supply local police in the first place?

It does not. The Federal government has no business supplying local police with anything.

If you can't find where it does so, then how is ending or curtailing an unconstitutional fedgov action a power grab by fedgov?

I don't recall ever saying anything about a "power grab". Perhaps you have me confused with someone else.

The federal gov't has no constitutional authority to either provide nor limit local governments acquisition of any equipment. That's all I'm saying.

[MrB]

I’m not so sure they were “supplying” them to the local leos.
I think they just had a surplus and were selling them cheap,
but only to law enforcement.
Can’t have Billy Bob driving an MRAP around town, now can we?

[Sopater]

Can’t have Billy Bob driving an MRAP around town, now can we?

Whether Billy Bob is driving one around or not is less of a concern to me than the idea that those who make and enforce the laws drive them around yet won't let folks like Billy Bob have one.

[Sopater]

... and as far as I can tell, they were basically giving them away to LEOs.

http://www.dispositionservices.dla.mil/leso/pages/default.aspx

[MrB]

I was giving the “reasoning” of your average gov’t loving lib.

[Sopater]

I understand, MrB. I already know that we think very much alike. Godspeed.

[Cap'n Crunch]

Barrack, the King of obfuscation, obstruction and the destruction of the Constitution wants police transparency?

spare me

[combat_boots]

Gotta give the planned riots some paid-for rioters and their ‘space to destroy’

[Carthego delenda est]

“Agreed, police should be allowed no more or less equipment that citizenry.”

Obama has been a liar on every single issue. The only reason he could possibly be wanting the police to not have this equipment is that he’ll also hold that the reverse of your statement also holds true: that citizens cannot have certain items either. He may be starting with MRAPs, but I suspect this is just an excuse to twist it around and say you or I can no longer have any surplus military items either. This could eventually set precedent to saying nobody can own an old 03A3 or a Garand, and then lead to no AR’s. Of course his soon to be National Police Force will be exempt from all of it.