Efforts in Congress to curb militarization of civilian police departments through legislation have been repeatedly stymied during the Trump administration. In 2015 President Obama curtailed a Pentagon program that had previously been furnishing surplus military hardware to local police departments across the country. President Trump then revived this so-called “1033 Program” his first year in office, allowing surplus bayonets, grenades, armored vehicles, and other military hardware to once again flow to local law enforcement agencies.
But now, in the wake of nation-wide protests over the killing of George Floyd, and the unprovoked violence against peaceful protesters by heavily-armed police, bipartisan support is building for legislation to end the transfer of military hardware to police departments. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) recently announced he intends to introduce an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to discontinue the transfer of military weaponry to local civilian authorities. Representative Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) also plans to introduce similar legislation in the House, where it will likely pass, creating momentum towards inclusion in the defense bill.
Cutting the supply chain of combat weaponry to police is one small step Congress can take immediately towards much needed broader police reform.
ACTION: Tell lawmakers to discontinue providing military hardware to police
Rep. Pramila Jayapal: https://jayapal.house.gov/contact/
Rep. Adam Smith: https://adamsmith.house.gov/contact
Sen. Patty Murray: https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactme
Sen. Maria Cantwell: https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/contact/email/form
Sample Script Ideas:
My name is [NAME] and I live in [CITY, ZIP CODE]. I have been upset by images of heavily armed police attacking peaceful unarmed protesters this past week and appalled by the president’s calls to bring in the military to quell protests. We don’t want the military policing civilians, and we don’t want police being transformed into a military force. The Pentagon’s provision of military grade weapons to local police departments through the so-called 1033 Program has only served to enflame tensions between police and protesters and is not a solution to the current unrest over the murder of unarmed Black people. Please support legislation to end the Pentagon’s transfer of surplus military equipment to civilian law enforcement entities and end the militarization of local police. Thank you.
Background:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/us/politics/police-military-gear.html
GOOD NEWS:
Seattle Mayor Durkan is has announced that federal monitoring of the Seattle Police Department, which she sought to end last month, will now continue. This reversal occurred after over 12,000 complaints about police actions against protesters flooded the City’s Office of Police Accountability this past week. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-minneapolis-police-seattle/seattle-police-oversight-to-continue-after-12000-floyd-protest-complaints-idUSKBN23B0CI
In addition, after meeting with community members, the mayor announced that the nighttime curfew she had imposed would be lifted. https://www.businessinsider.com/seattle-ends-curfew-early-officials-say-was-making-things-worse-2020-6
