As our military presence in foreign countries diminishes, the growing militarization of local police forces, including Louisiana’s, guarantees the United States will continue to perpetuate violence, not on perceived foreign enemies, but on its own citizens.
After Michael Brown’s death by a Ferguson, Missouri police officer, the Detroit Free Press compiled a database of how many military-grade items the federal grovernment provided to state and county police forces, along with the prices of the donated equipment.
While some of the items aren’t too shocking – bulletproof vests, gun-cleaning kits and navigation sets – I question the necessity of some of these “donations.”
Since 2013, Louisiana police departments received a total of 18 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles courtesy of the US government. East Baton Rouge Parish was given two MARPs, while other parishes, like Jefferson and St. Tammany, received one.
MRAPs are armored fighting vehicles designed to, as the name suggests, survive attacks from explosive devices, like IEDs. MRAPs were utilized extensively in wars where IEDs assisted against invading troops.
I’m pretty sure there aren’t any land mines in the United States, let alone Louisiana.
However, the MARPs donation wasn’t the most outrageous thing in this database.
Jefferson Parish received three $210,000 boats, but the $922,704 helicopter was the most expensive US government donation.
That’s right, be prepared for “Black Hawk Down 2: The Citizens of Jefferson Parish Strike Back”.
Bad jokes aside, all these are signs of our country’s local police forces over-militarization.
On Aug. 18, President Barack Obama held a press conference about two ongoing crises: The military operations in Iraq to deter ISIS factions and a Ferguson police officer fatally shooting Michael Brown . These two topics holding the same importance in our nation is extremely telling. America is over-militarized, both in and outside its borders.
However, President Obama is wary of these stockpiled police forces, saying the nation should review how local law enforcement utilizes federal funding and, “…there is a big difference between our military and our local law enforcement, and we don’t want those lines blurred.”
However, the lines aren’t blurred when it comes to the training to operate these military-grade weapons. US Rep., D-Mo.,William Clay, whose district includes the city of Ferguson, told the Washington Times, “I have gotten word that some of these police departments who have received this equipment have not been properly trained in its use by the military.”
In other words, the US government is dumping surplus military-grade weapons and equipment, but when it comes to teaching local police how to responsibly use them, the government and military are nowhere to be found.
Additionally, it is terrifying that weapons and materials used to fight overseas wars against alleged national security threats are the same ones being used against average American citizens.
Local police forces are acting as if every suspect is Tony Montana or a card-carrying member of Al-Qaeda.
When a Ferguson police officer told peaceful protesters, “Bring it, bring it all you fucking animals,” he was on a power trip. One that can only be found when you’re practically infallible and hold the authority to operate military-grade equipment on anyone disagreeable.
This is why the recent events in Ferguson are scary – a black teenager allegedly stole a box of cigars, and an overzealous police officer fatally shot him. Aside from blatant racial overtones, the militarization of this small, previously unknown town’s police force is directly responsible for this catastrophe.
Before you know it, the LSU police department will patrol campus in their brand new MRAPs, siccing Mike the Tiger on you for lighting up a cigarette.
SidneyRose Reynen is a 19-year old-film and media arts and art history sophomore from New Orleans, LA.