California Bill Bans Police from Getting Grenade Launchers and Tanks from FedsBy Cassius Methyl A.B.36 establishes that California would prohibit a local agency, other than a local law enforcement agency that is directly under the control of an elected officer, from applying to receive tactical surplus military equipment. It bans the transfer of tracked armored vehicles, weaponized vehicles, firearms or ammunition greater than .50 caliber, grenade launchers, bayonets and camouflage uniforms. Introduced by Assemblywoman Nora Campos of San Jose, Assembly Bill 36 (A.B.36)if enacted into law by the governor will prevent the transfer of heavy duty weapons of war to local police departments. Americans are increasingly concerned with the Pentagons now prevalent practice of arming local police departments with weapons of war, from grenade launchers toM-16 rifles and MRAP armored vehicles. The bill specifically points out the dangers of police militarization, saying it woulddeclare that this is a matter of statewide concern. Most military equipment given to local police departments is transferred via the Pentagons surplus 1033 program. Through it, the Pentagon donates heavy military weaponry and equipment to local police departments, government agencies, and even school districts. The program incited alarm when schools received grenade launchers and collections of M-16 rifles. Those in question included the Los Angeles Unified School Districts police and police at theUniversity of Louisiana, Monroe. The controversies surrounding weapons transfers like these have chipped away at support for the 1033 program. Those are weapons for war, they are not for policing communities, said Ray Robertson, an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in reference to the University of Louisianas stockpile of twelveM-16 rifles. The transfer of military weapons to local police is considered by many to be reckless as the policy raises the risk for abuse of power. Assemblywoman Campos highlighted these concerns: Due to recent events of police brutality, distrust between law enforcement and many of our communities remains at an all-time high, she said. Further exacerbating the issue is the recent militarization of law enforcement agencies and a movement away from community policing across the nation. The following examples from non-profit news organization The Marshall Project illustrate the scale of the weapons transfer program: Is it a good sign that California lawmakers are concerned about the 1033 program? Why does the Pentagon want to arm these police departments and organizations so heavily in the first place? This article (California Bill Bans Police from Getting Grenade Launchers and Tanks from Feds) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Cassius Methyl andtheAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. If you spot a typo, emailedits@theantimedia.org. All weapons except night sticks and whistles should be taken from the police. Then take away their cars, make them walk their beats. Lets see if we get less police murdering people then. I expect we might get a radical attitude adjustment by cops. 