Announcement of new initiative follows nine months of community uprisings over racism, police violence, and the militarization of local law enforcement
By Jon Queally, staff writer for Common Dreams. Published May 18, 2015
In response to long-held—and increasingly elevated—criticisms of the way predominantly poor neighborhoods and communities of color have been treated by law enforcement, President Barack Obama on Monday will announce a series of federal initiatives that will include new restrictions on the kinds of military-grade equipment made available to local police departments.
Though welcomed by many as a bold step, others question whether the new rules amount to little more than a “quick fix” that does too little to address the trend towards increasingly militarized police forces across the country. Continue reading