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Tuesday, August 26, 2014

FedGov Entrapping States' Rights with Taxpayer Baited "Gift" Traps

With the weasels representing us in our state legislatures and law enforcement no one can fault the fedgov for throwing baited hooks over the gunwale. As a people our representatives have violated, disregarded, ignored, or just plain don't give a darn for obedience to their constitutional oaths to support and uphold. 

And, we're no smarter a people for condoning this unlawfulness. Even a newspaper dishonestly reports the "gift" to the city as "Free"! Wanna bet most readers will believe it rather than accurately report that Peter was robbed to pay Paul because emperor on high favored Paul for forcible federalization.

Who says it's not their money to give? Davey Crockett? This behavior was not a joke back then:

Just so the people that still think for themselves will know.

from AllGov

Tanks on the Streets? Police Required to Use Military Equipment within a Year or Return It

Tuesday, August 26, 2014



Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle
belonging to Willimantic, Conn.
(population-17,700) police (AP Photo)
The militarization of America's police forces has been the result of federal policy that not only provides the means to give men-in-blue the same tools as combat soldiers, but in fact requires law enforcement to "use it or lose it" when it comes to military equipment.

Specifically, the Department of Defense's 1033 program—which funnels all kinds of military surplus goods to police—has a provision that clearly says that any participating law enforcement agency must use its equipment within one year of receiving it. If they don't, they have to give it up.

This from the state of Missouri's "application to participate" in 1033: "Property obtained under this SPO must be placed into use within one (1) year of receipt, unless the condition of the property renders it unusable, in which case the property can be returned to the nearest DLA Disposition Services Site. If property is not put into use by the LEA (law enforcement agency) within one (1) year, the State/LEA must coordinate a transfer of property to another LEA or request a turn-in to return the property to the nearest DLA Disposition Services Site."

Another problem with the Pentagon's decision to shower police forces with military hardware is that it's not accompanied by training, Amanda Taub noted at Vox.

Kara Dansky, a senior counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union, who wrote the organization's report on police militarization, told Taub she was unaware "of any training that the government provides in terms of use of the equipment," or of  "any oversight in terms of safeguards regarding the use of the equipment by the Defense Department."

While SWAT teams from large police departments train with their equipment regularly, small-town forces often don't have the resources to spare officers for such exercises. Thus, often the only time they use the surplus equipment is during an emergency.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:


Application to Participate (Department of Defense) (pdf)

Militarization of the Police…Ferguson Edition (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)