PressTV - Pentagon defends gear transfers to police

21.8.14

PressTV - Pentagon defends gear transfers to police: The Defense Department on Tuesday strongly defended its program to transfer “excess” military equipment to local law enforcement agencies, anxious about national scrutiny of the way St. Louis-area police have handled violence there following the shooting of Michael Brown.

President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel have said they want more information about the transfers, but have stopped short of calling for a formal review.

Washington is feeling pressure, however, after nonstop TV coverage of unrest in Ferguson, Mo., has prompted national commentators and some members of Congress to criticize or question what they call “militarized” policing.

Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday that Hagel has asked to learn more about the equipment transfers, but that he and the Pentagon stand behind the overall principle of transferring gear the military no longer needs to local police departments who can use it.