Tuesday’s hearing was sparked by the military-style police response to protests in Ferguson after an officer there fatally shot an unarmed 18-year-old African-American. Images of the officers in body armor and camouflage, driving armored vehicles, and carrying assault rifles inflamed tensions in the community and opened a national debate about “police militarization.”
The Pentagon program transfers extra equipment to local departments, while the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security provide grants to state and local law enforcement agencies.
Top officials from each of those agencies said the federal aid has helped law enforcement agencies prepare for terrorist attacks, respond to natural disasters, and protect officers who would otherwise be outgunned by drug gangs and hostage-takers.
Article Appeared @http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/09/09/senate-ferguson-police-militarization/15342449/