NDAA Section 1122 Program Enables Police Militarization

Section 1122 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 1994 established the authority for state and local governments to buy law enforcement equipment through federal channels, as long as the equipment is used for counter-drug activities. The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 amended 10 U.S.C. 381 to expand the procurement authority under Section 1122 to include equipment for homeland security and emergency response activities. Biden had placed restrictions on the program, but Trump has since removed them and police are being militarized at an alarming rate with military equipment that they're not trained to use properly.

Another problem with the 1122 program is lack of transparency. I've written in years past about the woefully incomplete and inadequate public disclosures about what military equipment was sold and where it went. If you've ever wondered how the local and state police are obtaining tanks, body armor, weapons, and heavy equipment - then Section 1122 is to blame!