See The Military Gear Your Local Police Department Received

Police departments in Connecticut received more than $2 million in excess military gear through the Pentagon’s 1033 program between 2015 and halfway through 2018. Since the inception of the program police departments in Connecticut have acquired about $14.5 million worth of gear.

The range of items available through the program is wide. Some are mundane and low-cost such as shovels, lights, bags and bandages. Other items are expensive including nearly $12,000 thermal sights, $7,600 night vision goggles, $733,000 mine resistant vehicles, a $922,000 utility helicopter and $63,000 utility trucks.

The program allows local police departments to request the excess gear and the only cost is to pay for shipping and handling of the items. It was started around 1990 and expanded in 1997. The program came into the public spotlight in 2014 during protests after Michael Brown was shot by a police officer in Ferguson, MO where police appeared to have military gear.

President Barack Obama placed restrictions on the program in 2015 that prevented local police from obtaining certain military equipment and requiring training for other items. His executive order prevented the transfer of tracked armored vehicles, bayonets, grenade launchers and .50-caliber and larger firearms and ammunition.

He said that the presence of military gear can make police appear like an occupying force instead of a local law enforcement agency.

The order was reversed by President Donald Trump in 2017.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal criticized the lack of accountability and training in 2014 at a roundtable discussion.

Sen. Chris Murphy said in 2014 he saw some benefits of the program and that while certain items like mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles aren’t a perfect fit for departments, they were able to handle tough terrain and were better than nothing.

See what your local police department acquired through the program below:

Image via Chris Dehnel/Patch