Americans don't want to live in a military state like israel and should not accept the fact that the IDF is training US policemen to behave like soldiers.
On Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 2:58:54 PM UTC-5, Travis wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.wsj.com/articles/police-groups-push-back-against-curbs-on-acquiring-military-gear-1469571098?mod=djem10point > > *Police Groups Push Back Against Curbs on Acquiring Military Gear* > > [image: Description: Police in Baton Rouge, La., search for a suspect > earlier this month after three officers were shot near a gas station in the > city.]ENLARGE > > Police in Baton Rouge, La., search for a suspect earlier this month after > three officers were shot near a gas station in the city. *Photo: Scott > Clause/The Daily Advertiser/Associated Press * > > By > > Zusha Elinson > > July 26, 2016 6:11 p.m. ET > > Following recent attacks on police in Dallas and Baton Rouge, > law-enforcement groups appear to be gaining traction in their efforts to > reverse President Barack Obama > <http://topics.wsj.com/person/O/Barack-Obama/4328>’s restrictions on > military vehicles and gear for local police departments. > > The president last year banned local police from acquiring tank-like > armored vehicles, grenade launchers and other equipment from the federal > government. The administration also put tighter controls on riot gear and > other items after images of officers wearing fatigues, carrying > military-style weapons and traveling in armored vehicles at protests in > Ferguson, Mo., sparked concern that the police seemed more like an > occupying army. > > But at a White House meeting held days after the July 7 sniper assault in > Dallas that left 5 police officers dead, Jonathan Thompson, executive > director of the National Sheriffs’ Association, said he raised concerns > with the president that police are now being denied low-cost military gear > that can protect lives. > > “He said he would look at it,” Mr. Thompson said. > > Mr. Thompson said the issue is getting more attention “unfortunately” > because of recent killings of police in Dallas and in Baton Rouge, where a > gunman fatally shot three officers on July 17. > > [image: Description: The helmet that Officer Michael Napolitano was > wearing when responding to the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, > Fla.]ENLARGE > > > The helmet that Officer Michael Napolitano was wearing when responding to > the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. *Photo: Orlando Police > Department/Associated Press * > > White House spokeswoman Hannah Hankins said the administration regularly > reviews the program with both law enforcement and civil-rights groups “to > ensure that it is achieving its goals.” > > Police can still receive some military equipment, even after Mr. Obama > placed limits on the program. > > “We believe that the program is providing departments with the tools that > they need to protect themselves and their communities while at the same > time providing the level of accountability that should go along with the > provision of federal equipment,” Ms. Hankins said. > > The push by law-enforcement groups is rattling those who have fought > against the militarization of police, and comes as the nation is embroiled > in a debate over race and police violence. > > “I do think they are getting more traction,” said Kanya Bennett, > legislative counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union. “I think it > would be unfortunate if this moment was used to stop the progress that’s > been made around demilitarization.” > > Police unions and sheriffs associations sent a letter to lawmakers on July > 11 urging them to lift the restrictions on the program by inserting > language into the National Defense Authorization Act. > > Military surplus gear has “not led to the ‘militarization’ of police,” but > helps protects against “violent criminals and terrorists with increasing > access to sophisticated weaponry,” the letter said. > > Micah Xavier Johnson used an Izhmash-Saiga 5.45 mm high-powered rifle, a > variation of an AK-style military weapon, in the Dallas attack, according > to a law-enforcement official. > > Police departments have been boosting security for officers in recent > weeks. In New York City, officials announced plans this week to spend $7.5 > million to buy new ballistic vests and helmets for officers. > > Since the president’s executive order curbing military gear, local police > departments have returned banned items to the government: 126 tracked > armored vehicles, which look like tanks without guns, 138 grenade launchers > and 1,623 bayonets, according to Michelle McCaskill, a spokeswoman for the > Defense Logistics Agency. > > The military uses the returned tracked vehicles for target practice, she > said. > > Armored vehicles with wheels like the ones used by police in response to > the Orlando and San Bernardino attacks as well as explosives, riot gear and > other equipment can still be transferred from the military to police, but > departments must take extra steps to justify the acquisitions. > > Police can still acquire all of the equipment without any restrictions, > but they must buy it on their own instead of getting it for the cost of > shipping from the federal government. > > Larry Amerson, sheriff of sparsely populated Calhoun County in Alabama, > said before his two tracked armored vehicles were hauled away, his > department used them to track down armed suspects in wooded areas. “Our > goal and intent was to use them to move personnel safely,” said Mr. > Amerson, a past president of the National Sheriffs Association. “Having > this equipment and essentially free is a huge opportunity for us.” > > However, big-city police chiefs aren’t pushing to reverse the president’s > executive order on the military gear program. > > “They did understand the optics with the equipment being used in an > inappropriate manner like we saw in Ferguson,” said Darrel Stephens, > executive director of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, adding that they > do benefit from the program. > > The ACLU’s Ms. Bennett said the changes have caused police to be more > deliberate in their use of military equipment, but she fears that progress > could be lost if the law-enforcement groups get their way. > > “We’re certainly concerned we would see another Ferguson,” she said, “the > exercise of constitutional rights being quelled because of a military > response.” > > *Write to *Zusha Elinson at [email protected] <javascript:> > > > > > ------------------------------ > [image: Avast logo] <https://www.avast.com/antivirus> > > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. > www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/antivirus> > > > > __._,_.___ > ------------------------------ > Posted by: "Beowulf" <[email protected] <javascript:>> > ------------------------------ > > > Visit Your Group > <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/grendelreport/info;_ylc=X3oDMTJmOXUycHVwBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwMTk0ODA2BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTMyMzY2NwRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0aW1lAzE0Njk2Mzc3MDk-> > > > > [image: Yahoo! 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