Policing

Obama orders review of ban on military-grade police equipment – report

President Barack Obama is reportedly going to rethink his 2015 ban on military-grade equipment sales to law enforcement after eight police officers were killed in attacks in Dallas, Texas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Two police organization directors have told Reuters that President Obama agreed to review each item that was put on the so-called“controlled equipment list,” including tracked armored vehicles, grenade launchers, bayonets, explosives and riot equipment.

The ban was imposed in May 2015, amid growing tensions between police and minority communities, as protests grew in response to deadly police shootings of black men in Ferguson, Missouri, Baltimore and other cities. Officers used military-grade riot gear and armored vehicles in response to anti-police brutality protests.

Citing “a substantial risk” of police “overusing” and “misusing”military-style weapons, Obama blocked the government from selling such items, leaving police departments across the US to rely on the private market.