Government

Pentagon: No More Free Guns for Local Law Enforcement…for Now

  • DOD has temporarily stopped providing weapons to all states’ law enforcement agencies. 
  • State officials being asked to account in this “one-time, clean sweep” for equipment the have received. 
  • “We‘re not doing this based on any thought there’s a problem. We’re doing it because accountability is accountability.”
  • Local law enforcement consider the request and cut-off an “inconvenience” but not really a set-back as they’re reported as keeping track of this information anyway. 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Defense Department has stopped issuing weapons to thousands of law enforcement agencies until it is satisfied that state officials can account for all the surplus guns, aircraft, Humvees and armored personnel carriers it has given police under a $2.6 billion program, The Associated Press has learned.

The department’s Defense Logistics Agency ordered state-appointed coordinators in 49 states to certify the whereabouts of that equipment that has already been distributed through the long-running arrangement overseen by the agency’s Law Enforcement Support Office. The temporary halt on transferring weapons applies to all states, agency officials said Thursday.

The program provides police departments and other law enforcement agencies with military equipment ranging from guns and helicopters to computers and air conditioners and even toilet paper. The equipment is cheap or free for law enforcement agencies to acquire, but much of it comes with strict rules that prohibit it from being sold and dictate how it must be tracked.

The military decided to conduct a “one-time, clean sweep” of all state inventories instead of reviewing them piecemeal, said Kenneth MacNevin, a spokesman for the federal agency. While some gear, including guns, has been stolen or otherwise gone missing over the years, MacNevin said the reporting requirements themselves aren‘t new and that the review wasn’t prompted by anything specific.

“Leadership decided to make sure we have a good, full accounting for all of this,” he said. “We‘re not doing this based on any thought there’s a problem. We’re doing it because accountability is accountability.”

However, MacNevin said a pair of news media reports and a weeks-long series of AP requests for records were factors in the decision to send letters to the states late last month ordering them to comply with program rules or face suspension from it. Only New Hampshire didn’t get a letter, for reasons that weren’t immediately clear.

The Arizona Republic reported last month that the Pinal County Sheriff‘s Office has stockpiled millions of dollars’ worth of equipment through the program, distributing some of the gear to non-police agencies, and intended to sell other property, which would violate the program’s rules.

“I don’t have any info on if something triggered” the Defense Department’s recent order, Matt Van Camp, a police detective in Payson, Ariz., who coordinates that state’s program, told the AP in an email. “All I know is Arizona is 100 percent compliant on weapons inventory.”

A report in March by California Watch, which was founded by the Center for Investigative Reporting, found that California police accumulated more equipment during 2011 than any other year in the program’s two-decade history. That follows the overall trend in the program, which last year doled out almost $500 million in gear, up by more than double from the year before.

Tim Hoyle, another spokesman for the Battle Creek, Mich.-based Defense Logistics Agency, said all weapons will be withheld until the accounting is completed.

Easier said than done. Most of the state surplus program coordinators who have responded to records requests from the AP say they only keep paper records. The few states that keep electronic records only recently made the switch from paper.

The Illinois Department of Central Management Services, for instance, said it would take its staff members at least 500 hours merely to review the records requested by the AP.

“There are over 800 Illinois law enforcement agencies that submit applications to the state under the LESO program,” agency employee Sunny Clark wrote. “CMS would need to go through each file individually in order to gather the records requested, which would be a difficult and time-consuming process.”

In a letter dated May 24, the military notified the state of Florida that it had failed to certify that a “complete (100 percent) physical inventory” of weapons, aircraft, Humvees and armored personnel carriers was completed in 2011. The agency said it intended to suspend Florida from participating in the Law Enforcement Support Office program if the certifications weren’t received by June 22.

But a Florida official who supervises the state coordinator for the program said the letter was sent in error, because the state had, in fact, completed its required annual audit.

“We should be receiving a letter from LESO in the coming days formally rescinding their earlier memo,” the official, Mike McClure, wrote in a June 1 email to several colleagues.

Hoyle said the letters were tailored to each state based on the information the agency is seeking.

The surplus program has grown exponentially in recent years, with a record $498 million worth of property distributed in fiscal year 2011. That includes $191 million in aircraft alone and more than 15,000 weapons worth nearly $4.8 million. Military officials said the program has become more popular as law enforcement agencies sustain deep budget cuts.

The sudden cutoff in the supply of free weapons is an “inconvenience,” but not a big problem, said Jeff Shadburn, Ohio’s program coordinator. Shadburn said he already had collected the information as previously required, but now he simply has to certify the information under the penalty of perjury.

Comments (51)

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  • South Philly Boy
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:42pm

    Fed Govt GETS TOO MUCH MONEY

    Report Post » South Philly Boy  
    • woodyb
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:54pm

      So NOW the government is concerned about what happens to guns?????????

      Tell that to the family of the murdered Border Control agent!!!!!!!!

      Report Post »  
    • Xcori8r
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 8:34pm

      They will make up for the reductions in the new Feds/L.E. drone distribution program.

      Report Post » Xcori8r  
  • blackyb
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:10pm

    Those people better start accounting themselves of all they have received and show inventory. They show us theirs; we show them ours. They asked for things they better produce themselves.

    Report Post » blackyb  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:32pm

      Why is the DOD using our tax dollars to distribute military weapons to local law enforcement in the first place!?!?!?

      What the hell, people?

      Report Post » Jaycen  
    • supermansdad
      Posted on June 10, 2012 at 6:11am

      @JACYEN

      “Why is the DOD using our tax dollars to distribute military weapons to local law enforcement in the first place!?!?!?”

      Because many smaller agencies dont have the tax base to purchase weapons leaving most of the grossly underpaid officers to buy all their own duty gear and weapons. Add that in many of the nations rual areas meth has become an epidemic and cookers, dealers and users will fight to make it, sell it and get their hands on it. Since many have disposable income what they don’t spend on drugs is spent on protecting their stash.

      Also, this program is not a new concept going back into even post civil war time. Much like the printing press isnt the same today as it was in the 1800′s, neither are law enforcement fire arms. Many M1 Garands and M14′s were issued previously. In fact many agencies that still had M14′s had them recalled during the current conflict to re-fit into Mk14 EBR configurations.

      DOL does this also with computers, office furniture and vehicles including patrol cars and even HMWWV’s.

      Report Post »  
  • blackyb
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:09pm

    They are all mouth. They have nothing to back up themselves. He might better walk away, or slink away peacefully. He is going to have enough to answer too.

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • desertspeaks
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:06pm

    This is in Arizona’s Constitution.. Article 2 section 26 ‘The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.”
    There are a few states that have the same wording in their Constitution..
    We can extrapolate that since all State, county, city/towns are corporations as evidenced by a myriad of court rulings and especially the clearfield doctrine, that these corporations employing ARMED BODIES OF MEN KNOWN AS THE POLICE, are unconstitutional entities by their own state constitutions.
    Wonder how many people have read their state constitutions.

    Report Post » desertspeaks  
  • eramthgin
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:02pm

    Stupid program to begin with. What police force needs a 5.56 SAW?

    Report Post » eramthgin  
    • supermansdad
      Posted on June 10, 2012 at 6:18am

      Most are recieving Stoner AR varients. And yes, I can think of several places that as an officer have a belt fed weapon would be prudent. A couple lakes along the TX-MX border come to mind, as well as certain port’s. TX just launched several boats equipped like wise after several people have gone missing or been out right killed by drug and human smugglers. What else are they supposed to do when they are out gunned by what many times are actually members of the MX military?

      Report Post »  
  • blackyb
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:01pm

    I am wondering if he can go back farther with this request than he has been in office? We may have to do some Federal Inventorying from them as well. Account for every penny of cash and supplies they have used since he slinked into office.

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • Bryan B
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:38pm

    I remember when the government use to sell military rifles to it’s citizens.

    For a $5.00 application fee, you could get a M-1 Grand or M-1 Carbine, and they would mail it right to your house…..

    Report Post » Bryan B  
  • conserv2011
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:58pm

    sounds like retaliation against the “people” since there is so much scrutiny over Holder’s handling of Fast n Furious. You make it difficult for us.. .we make it difficult for you…….

    “Hey… listen if you let this thing drop and go away. .we’ll stop our little delay/pause and you can have all the weapons you want.. Promise!!!!!”

    Report Post »  
  • YesNdeedie
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:35pm

    How about the WH doing an inventory of all weapons passed along during F&F and others such as arming his own public military and account for each one no matter where they may be now……

    Report Post »  
  • eternal_vigilance
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:14pm

    Surplus?
    Must be nice spending all that Obama stash.

    Report Post » eternal_vigilance  
  • TRILO
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:11pm

    Good. I am glad that they are halting distribution of military equipment to local law enforcement. Why do local law enforcement agencies need Humvees or advanced weapons? These weapons will be used against us one day. The militarization of our local law enforcement is wrong, no matter how you look at it.

    Report Post » TRILO  
  • frogg
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:10pm

    what are wee talking about? American citizens have 70 million guns and bullets to put in them too. They come after us all we have to do is take one with us when we go. after a hundred or so they will quit coming. If the jews would have done that there would not have been 6,000,000 murdered in Nazi Germany!

    Report Post » frogg  
    • lukerw
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:35pm

      The problem of Nazism begins with Mental Attitude… and goes to Obedience to any Law. Germany was Robotica… and they did Wrong things out of Compliance & Trust in Government!

      Report Post » lukerw  
  • suedstate
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:46pm

    Don’t worry they are just checking to make sure everything is ready for Nov. when the Dictator declares martial law and shuts down the elections.
    President for life, ala Chavez, Castro, Putin(near future) then they can all celebrate to-gether, I’ve lived a long life but have never seen anything like this America before, be very careful and watch the other hand.

    Report Post »  
  • Delores at CH WV
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:45pm

    The guns belong to WE the People. Any guns held locally do NOT belong to the Federal Governments. Our cities, Counties, and States Law Enforcement does not belong to the Federal Goverment or Home Land Security. These folks pledge to protect the folks in these villages and within the state boarders. Mayors, County Commissioners, and the Governors direct these employees Not the Federal Government. Tax Payers paid for these guns and equipment, not the Federal Government. The Federal Government collects taxes and gives grants back to the states. The Federal Military is the only troops that the President is in charge of; of course, He says that he is incharge of the local guard troops; however, that law he had passed has not been sent to the US Supreme Court. Laws passed in Congress must be tested by going to the US Supreme Court. The local law enforcement is mandated by the individual State Constitutions, Not, by the President because he runs a bill by his cronies in Congress. It is time for We the People to vote out these jokers who pass unconstitutional laws! REcall them ALL!

    This article sounds as if someone has been selling more guns to the Mexicans! Holder’s emails must have linked some guns found again. Why an audit now? How many foreigners have been given guns like those we gave to Libya, Africa, Syria, and beyond. Sad situation that these folks in DC are destroying We the People name because they love the Power to play God. I pray America can survive,

    Report Post »  
    • TRILO
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:08pm

      Sorry, anytime you take $$$ or equipment from the federal government there are strings attached.

      Report Post » TRILO  
  • rpp
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:44pm

    Sounds like the Feds are getting ready for some sort of widespread internal civil uprising/unrest/war or some other major TEOTWAWKI event. This combined with the recent executive orders pulling even local water supplies under the President’s control CANNOT be a coincidence.

    Report Post » rpp  
  • rsanchez1
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:36pm

    At least the DOD is taking responsibility for their weapons, unlike the DOJ.

    Report Post »  
  • AUsername
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:33pm

    Awesome, more people saved from psychopath’s and get rid of some cops to while your at it, we got way to many of them that are not needed.

    Report Post » AUsername  
    • Fubared
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:02pm

      Visit” Philly, Trenton, AC, Baltimore, DC, Chicago, Detroit, Oakland, and on and on and on. Shirley you don’t get out of the basement enough. Can we just call you Sally? Silly Sally ok with you?

      Report Post »  
    • AUsername
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:17pm

      yeah most of it is caused by the pigs not the people.

      Report Post » AUsername  
  • kickagrandma
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:33pm

    OK, Glenn, now what? I will NOT, I repeat NOT give the police MY guns to use. ; )

    Come on, somebody, why is holder not under the prison somewhere?

    Any REAL AMERICAN lawyers out there since WE THE PEOPLE can’t seem to cut through the bs tape.

    Report Post »  
  • Nemo13
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:09pm

    I thought the same thing, Holder gave all the free guns to the Mexicans. Holder needs to be in prison.

    Report Post »  
  • jackact
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:42pm

    … But Attorney General Holder could definately hook you up with a couple hundred automatic weapons as long as you promise to lose them across the Mexican border.
    :)

    Report Post »  
  • Mutiny
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:39pm

    We are so screwed. The police are so well armed they could take over I am betting 80% of the worlds countries. When martial law is put in we are going to regret them being armed so well.

    A couple of months ago my son had a project where he needed to take pictures of local area places. So we went to the police station for a picture there and saw a policemen getting out of his car so we asked for the photo in the police car to be funny. What wasnt funny was the fact the policeman was getting out of his car with a AR-15 assault rifle with a grenade launcher attachment. My community has over 250 policemen I am guess all as well armed and we are small southern city with really not much crime.

    Report Post » Mutiny  
    • HorseCrazy
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:49pm

      yes but the majority of us gun fans shoot better with our AR’s than the average police officer. Just saying.

      Report Post »  
    • Teufel Hunden
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:56pm

      That “grenade” launcher is for delivering tear gas. And what is the police officer going to go against gangs with if not suitably armed with things like an AR15 or M14. You definitely don’t want the military patrolling the streets do you? I say arms the cops for the task. Just don’t think about taking away my ability to protect myself, my family and neighborhood from the cops if they go rogue.

      Report Post » Teufel Hunden  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:06pm

      So now we know where we can up grade our weapons if the end of the world comes. I honestly don‘t think most cops want to be part of some government coup d’état on the citizens.

      Report Post » RepubliCorp  
    • hidden_lion
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:22pm

      teufel-
      what is the difference between the police and the military if they are armed and trained the same way?
      The cops being armed this way has not put a dent in the gang activity. Consider this, they know who the gangsters are, but they are still roaming the streets anyway…Why is that you think?

      Report Post » hidden_lion  
    • Mutiny
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:26pm

      @tue

      Have you seen the way the police act in the news? They are already pushing against the citizens. You say that gear is for gangs, well we dont have gang violence here. There is no need for a APC and assault weapons. Weapons like that used to be for SWAT. Now its for every member of the police force and lets also remember the requirements to become a police officer are the most stringent.

      Report Post » Mutiny  
    • Mutiny
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:31pm

      @teu

      The point is if they do turn on us we have no chance. If they surround your house with an armored APC, drones flying over head, machine guns, sniper rifles, tear gas, full body armor, and with an attitude you have no shot.

      Now when they are going door to door with that battalion taking guns it will be too late.

      Report Post » Mutiny  
    • Teufel Hunden
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:15pm

      Hidden_Lion…. Big difference between the two. One answers to the Pentagon and the other answers to local authorities. Much easier to stop local police. As far as training goes, a fair portion of the civilian population is equally or better trained and better armed than most police departments and the Military in some cases. We don’t have ammo and territory restrictions. We can train where and when we please.

      Mutiny…. You forget, there are people like me in all corners of the country who, if push comes to shove, are quite capable of taking the fight to the aggressors. In these changing times the worse thing a person can have is a “we are screwed”, or, “we have no chance” attitude.

      One of the benefits of having the government provide weapons to the police is there will be spare parts and ammo galore! Each precinct a virtual shorehouse of supplies. Oooorah! Besides….. You ladies don’t want to live forever do you??? Semper fi!

      Report Post » Teufel Hunden  
    • hidden_lion
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 6:06pm

      Teufel-
      Who cares who controls who. Militarily armed and train police forces are essentially a military unit. I don’t care if the mayor, the governor or the president controls them. They all can squash your rights. Ask that Marine in Arizona about militarized swat team action….Oh yeah, you can’t because they murdered him in his home.

      Report Post » hidden_lion  
    • Teufel Hunden
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 6:30pm

      Hidden_lion quote: “Who cares who controls who. Militarily armed and train police forces are essentially a military unit.”

      Yeah right. You ever watch a swat team clear a building??? LMFAO

      Quote: “They all can squash your rights”.

      They will if you let them.

      Anyway, don’t worry about it, we’ll protect you. In the mean time if you hear shooting, stop, drop and roll yourself to safety so as not to be in the line of fire.

      Report Post » Teufel Hunden  
  • drphil69
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:38pm

    They need the guns Homeland Security – remember they contracted out the manufacture of 100,000,000+ rounds of ammo for homeland security – they need guns to go along with it. Soon the HS will be going door to door to confiscate your guns.

    Report Post »  
  • PimpleJuice
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:38pm

    I wonder if these were the guns they intended for future fast and furious operations before the lid blew off. I could elaborate but your imaginative enough to get my direction with this.

    Report Post » PimpleJuice  
  • KidCharlemagne
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:36pm

    William Grigg wrote an excellent piece about the Pentagon’s 1033 program several years ago before many people realized that this was even going on:

    ————————————————————————-
    “When local police are supported by local tax funds, they are locally accountable. When those police are materially and financially supported by Washington — to any extent — the locus of control and accountability shifts there. That is the principle recognized in the Supreme Court’s 1942 Wickard v. Filburn decision.”
    “From Local Police to Occupying Army, or LESO: The Greater of Many Evils”

    Report Post »  
    • supermansdad
      Posted on June 10, 2012 at 6:40am

      This is a practice that predates any living person. I previously in this thread stated that its at least as old as post civil war but truthfully surplus military weapons have been turned over to the local milita and sheriff as far back as when it was still the “shire reve.” So nearly as old as your name sake. Seems to have worked thru history….

      Remember, there can be no occupying army on this land because the whole nation comprises the militia. There’s a lot of cops but not nearly enough to act as occupiers.

      Report Post »  
  • cessna152
    Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:31pm

    ++++“We‘re not doing this based on any thought there’s a problem. We’re doing it because accountability is accountability.”++++++
    ________________________________________________________________________________

    I did not know it was possible to LIE more times in a sentence than there are words….

    Report Post » cessna152  
    • drbage
      Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:12pm

      Accountability and this government in the same sentence qualifies as the oxymoron of the day. Can the GAO account for the millions of dollars it has spent and the location of said equipment? How about Homeland Insecurity? How about the millions spent by the members of Congress on “office supplies?”

      Report Post »  
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