Trump to Lift Ban on Military Gear to Local Police Forces

The Trump administration is preparing to lift an Obama-era ban on supplying local police forces with surplus military equipment, USA Today reported Sunday. The policy was put in place after police used high-powered gear to respond to the 2014 riots in Ferguson, Missouri. President Obama said at the time that the use of battlefield-ready heavy equipment, including armored vehicles, bayonets, and grenade launchers, made the police look like an “occupying force,” thereby aggravating a divide between law enforcement and the community.