The White House is conducting a review of programs that have equipped local police departments with military gear from the Pentagon, urged by President Barack Obama's call for more separation between the nation's armed forces and civilian law enforcement.
The examination comes in the aftermath of the police response to unrest in Ferguson, Mo., following the police killing of an unarmed black man.
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Two senior administration officials said Saturday the review will examine:
- Whether the programs are appropriate.
- How much training is being provided to police using military equipment.
- How well the government is auditing the use of the money and equipment by local police.
The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the review by name.
The review will be led by White House staff including the Domestic Policy Council, the National Security Council, the Office of Management and Budget, and agencies including the departments of Defence, Homeland Security, Justice and Treasury. The officials say the review will be co-ordinated with Congress, where several lawmakers have called for a re-examination of the military-to-police programs.
On Monday, Obama acknowledged that the images of police armed with combat weapons confronting protesters in Ferguson made it useful to review how local law enforcement agencies have used federal grants that permit them to obtain heavier armaments.
"There is a big difference between our military and our local law enforcement, and we don't want those lines blurred," Obama told reporters at the White House. "That would be contrary to our traditions."
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