Sen. McCaskill Leads Senate Hearing on Militarization of Local Police

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — The Senate Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on Tuesday to discuss the Pentagon’s Congressionally-mandated program providing local police departments with access to surplus military gear, an issue that arose after the tense standoffs between police and protesters in Ferguson, Missouri last month.

Since 1990, when Congress allowed the transfers as a means of helping police forces thwart drug dealers, $5.1 billion in property has been provided to local police departments. Among the equipment given to local police over the life of the program are 44,000 night vision devices, 5,200 Humvees, 617 Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicles and 92,000 small arms.

During the course of the hearing, many Congressional leaders questioned whether the program was doing more harm than good. “Those lawful, peaceful protesters on that Wednesday afternoon in Ferguson, Missouri, did not deserve to be treated like enemy combatants,” Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill said.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-S.C. argued that the program had “gotten out of control,” while noting that bayonets are available under the program.

A Pentagon acquisition official responded to Paul, confirming that bayonets are available under the program, but said he was unable to explain why local police forces would need bayonets. “I can give you an answer,” Paul responded: “None.”

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