VOA标准英语2014--Militarization of US Police Probed in Congress（在线收听）

Militarization of US Police Probed in Congress

U.S. lawmakers in Washington are reviewing federal government programs that provide billions of dollars in surplus military equipment to civilian police departments.

The action comes amid growing calls to end to the so-called "militarization" of local law-enforcement agencies following the police response to quell days of unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, shortly after the fatal shooting last month of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer.

Events in Ferguson drew worldwide attention when local police, dressed in military uniforms with assault weapons and armored combat vehicles, fired tear gas to break up demonstrations over the shooting death of Michael Brown.

The police response drew criticism over the militarization of civilian police departments and the use of combat equipment to suppress protests.  During a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing Tuesday, Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill said the use of combat equipment in Ferguson was unnecessary.

"Officers dressed in military fatigues are not viewed as partners in any community.  Armored military vehicles, even if they are painted black and used with the utmost discretion are, by definition, intimidating," said McCaskill," said McCaskill.

McCaskill and other lawmakers are looking into several federal government programs that give surplus military weapons and equipment  to local police forces.  Since 1997, the Defense Department has given away five billion dollars worth of equipment - meant to be used to fight crime and terrorism. and respond to disasters.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul opposes this.

"Many of the police forces actually think that this equipment would be good for riot suppression in a big city, in an urban area and you [the Department of Defense] are specifically instructed that it is not for that.  By supplying all of this free equipment, much of which is frankly inappropriate, and really should not be on anybody's list of authorized  equipment," said Paul.

Defense Department officials say the military equipment and supplies are useful to law enforcement agencies. But Alan Estevez, the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, said the Pentagon cannot monitor how the equipment is used.

"I think we need to review all of the equipment that we are providing, Senator.  And as I said, we at the Department of Defense do not push any of this equipment on any police force.  The states decide what they need," said Estevez.

Saint Louis newspaper photojournalist Wiley Price covered the Ferguson unrest.  He says people were surprised to see police driving around in military vehicles, pointing assault weapons at them.

"Other photographers were questioning each other about what was going on and this went on for three or four days.  And police aggravated  peaceful marchers when they were just standing there chanting," said Price.

Western Kentucky University Criminal Justice Professor Jim Bueermann told lawmakers he supports giving police military equipment -- but with more training on when it is appropriate to use.

"If there is any silver lining that comes out of the event in Ferguson is that we begin this discussion that should have happened in 1997, not 2014, about how we use this equipment, whether it comes from a federal program or out of a city's general fund in an appropriate way that doesn't damage the relationship police have with the community," said Bueermann.

Lawmakers say they will continue to review government programs that provide military equipment to domestic police departments.

Meanwhile the Obama Administration is conducting its own investigation into the program - hoping to avoid the kind of police response in Ferguson that sparked so much outrage and controversy.