WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is preparing to lift restrictions on surplus military equipment that can be passed on to local law enforcement agencies.
The move comes in spite of past concerns that armored vehicles and other gear were escalating confrontations with protesters.
Documents obtained by The Associated Press indicate Trump is preparing to sign an executive order undoing an Obama administration directive aimed at the use of surplus military equipment. Under the previous administration, police agencies saw limits placed on their access to grenade launchers, bullet-proof vests, riot shields, firearms, ammunition and other gear.
The documents indicate that Trump’s order would fully restore the program under which “assets that would otherwise be scrapped can be repurposed to help state, local, and tribal law enforcement better protect public safety and reduce crime.”