[Content Note: Police militarization.]
"Fusion has learned that 184 state and local police departments have been suspended from the Pentagon's [controversial '1033 program' program to equip local and state police departments with military surplus weaponry] for missing weapons or failure to comply with other guidelines. We uncovered a pattern of missing M14 and M16 assault rifles across the country, as well as instances of missing .45-caliber pistols, shotguns, and 2 cases of missing Humvee vehicles."—Daniel Rivero and Jorge Rivas, in an incredible report on their investigation into the number of police departments across the US which have lost "loads of military-issued weapons."
According to their investigation, police departments in the state of Mississippi alone have lost track of 12 M14s, a 12-gauge shotgun, two flyer helmets, and a .45 caliber pistol, which was sold at a gun exchange.
So, basically, apart from all the other problems with police militarization, which have been on abundant display in Ferguson, a lot of police departments are having trouble holding onto the military-grade weaponry they're getting care of the Pentagon.
Terrific.
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