Obama bans police military-style equipment

[maryjane48]

In an unexpected move, President Barack Obama on Monday will ban the federal government from providing certain military equipment to police departments.

Effective immediately, the government will no longer provide local law enforcement with armored vehicles, grenade launchers and bayonets. Other items like explosives and riot equipment will be transferred to police only if they provide additional certification and assurances that the gear will be used responsibly.

The changes stem from recommendations made to the president in a new report produced by a White House working group. Obama created the task force earlier this year via executive order.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/1 ... &ir=Canada

obama gets it , does harper?

[FreeRights]

In an unexpected move, President Barack Obama on Monday will ban the federal government from providing certain military equipment to police departments.

Effective immediately, the government will no longer provide local law enforcement with armored vehicles, grenade launchers and bayonets. Other items like explosives and riot equipment will be transferred to police only if they provide additional certification and assurances that the gear will be used responsibly.

The changes stem from recommendations made to the president in a new report produced by a White House working group. Obama created the task force earlier this year via executive order.

Sorry, what? I can honestly think of a total of zero uses that law enforcement has for bayonets.

[django]

Today the bayonet is rarely used in one-to-one combat.[43][44][45] Despite its limitations, many modern assault rifles (including bullpup designs) retain a bayonet lug and the bayonet is still issued by many armies. Also, the bayonet is still used for controlling prisoners and as a weapon of "last resort."[43] In addition, some authorities have concluded that the bayonet serves as a useful training aid in building morale and increasing desired aggressiveness in troops.[46][47]

Today's bayonets are often multi-purpose knives such as the American M9 which is also an effective fighting knife or the Soviet AKM bayonet which was also a ground breaking survival knife that can be used as a wire-cutter when combined with its scabbard. Some bayonets can also be used as utility knives, bottle openers or throwing knives.[48][49] Also, issuing one modern multi-purpose bayonet/knife is obviously more cost effective than issuing separate specialty bayonets, field knives and combat knives.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayonet

[FreeRights]

Today the bayonet is rarely used in one-to-one combat.[43][44][45] Despite its limitations, many modern assault rifles (including bullpup designs) retain a bayonet lug and the bayonet is still issued by many armies. Also, the bayonet is still used for controlling prisoners and as a weapon of "last resort."[43] In addition, some authorities have concluded that the bayonet serves as a useful training aid in building morale and increasing desired aggressiveness in troops.[46][47]

Today's bayonets are often multi-purpose knives such as the American M9 which is also an effective fighting knife or the Soviet AKM bayonet which was also a ground breaking survival knife that can be used as a wire-cutter when combined with its scabbard. Some bayonets can also be used as utility knives, bottle openers or throwing knives.[48][49] Also, issuing one modern multi-purpose bayonet/knife is obviously more cost effective than issuing separate specialty bayonets, field knives and combat knives.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayonet

I was in the Canadian Forces and was issued a bayonet. While most of what we used it for was drill, it did have many other uses - but it's a fixed blade, so most of us carried around a multi-purpose pocket knife, as well as the bayonet.

[the truth]

100 % correct freerights- just another hate the rcmp and the government link -posted by lakevixen- who claims not too hate cops but every other link posted by lv seems to be a cop bashing link but never seems to post a hate criminals link

[Smurf]

Not saying that some of that equipment doesn't seem a bit overboard but after seeing what happened in Waco Texas the police need a lot of specialized equipment. Maybe they should throw Obama on the front line in situations like that. I'll bet he would be running for a armoured vehicle. In today's world the police need a lot of resources to handle things.

[jimmy4321]

I see no problem with armoured vehicles or military type gear so long as it's distributed in ideal locations to provide the most efficient population coverage and have people with the special qualifications to use them but this doesn't always happen.

http://o.canada.com/news/national/canad ... ent-page-1

I think in Canada after that NB thing it's clear that Cdn police need some of the basics for protection and better firearms

[alfred2]

*removed*

[Captain Awesome]

While I understand how bayonets came into picture, I`m puzzled why police agencies were being provided with grenade launchers.

[Smurf]

It does seem funny doesn't it. I can't imagine where they would ever use them. They don't even seem reasonable for an all out battle with say biker gangs, unless they are possibly barricaded in some where with no one else around. Is it the job of the police to save those lives or get rid of the threat. Does there become a time and place where they should just clean house. Apparently the two main biker gangs at Waco have sent out orders to members to arm themselves and head for Texas and kill police. They apparently even said to ignore any orders from law officials on the way. Maybe there could be a use for weapons we would never even think of. What do these bikers have in their arsenal??????? The world is getting to be a crazy place. We are even beefing up Surrey.

[Captain Awesome]

My only possible explanation would be launching smoke grenades to set up cover when dealing with somebody who is holed up. The machinery is the same, just a different type of grenades. But does it ever come up? Who knows.

[django]

Tear gas, percussion/flash bang

[LANDM]

Sorry, what? I can honestly think of a total of zero uses that law enforcement has for bayonets.

If the powder gets wet for his musket or the flint doesn't strike properly, that cop will wish he had a bayonet when 170 Twin Peaks bikers are rushing towards him!

[Atomoa]

This is good news.

Now what about existing military surplus equipment on the streets?

[maryjane48]

100 % correct freerights- just another hate the rcmp and the government link -posted by lakevixen- who claims not too hate cops but every other link posted by lv seems to be a cop bashing link but never seems to post a hate criminals link

well hey until the cops stop supplying us with material to use i will post what gets reported , don't like it ? dont read it . simple really . cops are human , cops do criminal things . civilians are human . civilians do criminal things . george bush committed war crimes , wheres your call for his jail time? or you only concerned with the homeless you sometimes see and think to yourself , that fool should be in jail ?