Petition to Congress:
The militarization of local police is a serious and deadly issue. Grenade launchers, tanks, and other equipment built for combat zones have no place in local law enforcement to be used against civilians. We demand you put an end to the 1033 program, which sends military-grade equipment to local police forces.
Because of Trump, more military tanks are coming to your town. This week, Trump announced that he will be reinstating the 1033 program that allows local law enforcement to arm themselves with surplus military equipment.1
Three years ago in Ferguson, MO, we saw exactly how militarized police can and will use high tech military-grade equipment on civilians.
Sign the petition: Tell Congress to put an end to the militarization of local police.
Combat tanks and unmanned drones surveying an American city already sounds like a frightening scene from a police-state science fiction movie, but the reality actually hits much closer to home.
Surveillance devices like stingrays and hailstorms, designed to impersonate cell towers and secretly download cell phone data, are covered under the 1033 program.2 Already this year we’ve seen these devices used to target, track, and eventually deport undocumented people.3
After the civil unrest in Ferguson, MO, the nation reeled at the sight of police officers using military-grade equipment on civilians. That’s why President Obama issued an executive order halting the 1033 program.
Now, Trump’s reversed this order. Which is why Congress must step in and shut this program down once and for all.
Tell Congress to end the militarization of the police by shutting down the 1033 program.
Sources:
1. CNN, "Trump to lift military gear ban for local police," August 28, 2017.
2. The Rundown Live, "List of Military Equipment Used by Local Police from the 1033 Program" August 15, 2014
3. The Verge, "Feds are using Stingray cell-trackers to find undocumented immigrants," May 19, 2017.