Lucas - Donald Trump recently rewarded the country’s biggest police
union for their endorsement of his dangerous, racist candidacy. He is
going to give state and local police military-grade weapons of war.
The Defense Department’s 1033 program transfers surplus military
equipment to police. It has given billions of dollars' worth of tanks,
grenade launchers and other weapons to local law enforcement agencies –
including more than 93,000 machine guns. In 2014, police in combat gear driving mine-resistant tanks violently
confronted people protesting the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson,
Missouri. The national outrage and organizing that followed helped force
President Obama to dramatically scale back the 1033 program. But now Trump,
whose racist, xenophobic agenda depends on demonizing communities of color
and unleashing law enforcement, wants to bring it back in full force.
Fortunately, there is a bill that would stop Trump’s dangerous escalation
and help keep weapons of war out of our communities, the Stop Militarizing
Law Enforcement Act. The more of us who speak out, the more pressure on
Congress to act.
Tell Congress: Pass the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act and block
Donald Trump’s attempt to militarize local police.
It is no surprise that Trump, who condoned white supremacist Nazi violence
against peaceful protesters last month in Charlottesville, wants to further
weaponize police, terrorize communities of color and stifle peaceful dissent
to his hateful regime. That is why it is more important than ever to pass
the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act now. The bill would shut down
the direct pipeline between the Department of Defense and police, ban
the transfer of a long list of military equipment, require extensive documentation
and reporting, and prohibit the militarization of departments under investigation
for civil rights violations.
Donald Trump’s extreme agenda has already emboldened law enforcement
agents across the country, at the local, state and federal level. Making
sure that his administration cannot arm police with weapons of war is
a powerful way to fight back.
Add your name today to tell Congress to pass the Stop Militarizing Law
Enforcement Act and block Donald Trump’s attempt to militarize local police.
Thank you for everything you do.
Heidi Hess, Senior Campaign Manager
CREDO