While it’s not uncommon to see military-grade vehicles rolling across the islands or soaring through the clouds, President Barack Obama wants to limit the ability of local law enforcement agencies to arm themselves with equipment that’s geared more toward the battlefields than the streets Waikiki.

Specifically, the president says no federal funds or programs should be used to put grenade launchers, tanks, armed aircraft or 0.50 caliber guns in the hands of local cops.

Armed with an assault rifle, police stand guard on the east side of the US Capitol building as the House was in session regarding Department of Homeland Security issues.  23 feb 2015. photograph Cory Lum/CIvil Beat

An officer armed with an assault rifle stands guard on the east side of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

It’s a response to last summer’s protests in Ferguson, Missouri, over the death of Michael Brown that saw citizens clashing with police officers outfitted in military-style combat gear. It’s also an attempt to help soften police officers’ image at a time when mistrust of law enforcement is widespread.

Civil Beat reported in August that local agencies, including the Honolulu Police Department, have received millions of dollars worth of equipment from the feds, including armored vehicles and crowd-clearing devices that emit loud sounds that can permanently damage a person’s hearing.

But it’s not just local law enforcement agencies that benefit from the equipment giveaway. According to 1033 Program data from the Pentagon, Hawaii’s local FBI office has received three mine-resistant vehicles and some infrared equipment.

You can check out this handy widget from The Marshall Project to see what other agencies across the U.S. have received:

What it means to support Civil Beat.

Supporting Civil Beat means you’re investing in a newsroom that can devote months to investigate corruption. It means we can cover vulnerable, overlooked communities because those stories matter. And, it means we serve you. And only you.

Donate today and help sustain the kind of journalism Hawaiʻi cannot afford to lose.

About the Author