Sentinel & Enterprise - Tsongas Looks for Oversight on Equipment after Ferguson

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By Chelsea Feinstein

In the wake of nationwide debate on police militarization following protests in Ferguson, Mo., Lowell Democratic U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas led a hearing on the subject in the House of Representatives Thursday.

The issue has been on the forefront of national discussions since a militarized police force in Ferguson used tanks, flash grenades and assault rifles to respond to citizens protesting the fatal police shooting of teenager Michael Brown earlier this year.

"When you saw peaceful protesters being confronted with armored vehicles, having assault weapons pointed at them, that did raise a lot of questions around militarization of local police departments," Tsongas told The Sun after the hearing.

"When you see an MRAP (mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle) on the street of a small community, you have to ask the question if this is appropriate," she added.

The Department of Defense's 1033 program has provided $4.3 billion in military equipment to local and state police departments, including body armor, vehicles and weapons, as well as computers and other technical equipment.

Tsongas said she chose the subject for the hearing because she believes Congress had a responsibility to question the program in the aftermath of the protests in Ferguson, even as President Barack Obama has ordered a review of the practice.

"We may see real reforms coming from within, but we as Congress have a real responsibility to engage in oversight, and where we see shortcomings to move to try to fix them," Tsongas said.

A Missouri grand jury continued to deliberate Friday on whether the police officer who shot Michael Brown should face charges.

Tsongas questioned whether there is a difference between major cities and smaller towns having access to military equipment. In Boston, she said, the military equipment was used effectively in response to the Boston Marathon bombing and subsequent search for the suspects. In a smaller city like Ferguson, she said, the equipment was less helpful.

Another issue she said was raised in the hearing was the importance of transparency.

"We'll examine and look at whether or not it's desirable to require the organization that deals with this to put up a website that lists all equipment making its way into each state and each community, so at the very least it's much more transparent," she said.

Congressman-elect Seth Moulton, D-Salem, who served four tours in Iraq with the Marines, also weighed in on the subject to The Sun. He said that while allowing local and state police departments to utilize surplus military equipment was well-intentioned, the implementation has become problematic.

"There are police forces that are now more heavily armed then some of the troops in Iraq or Afghanistan," Moulton said.

"Clearly we have to provide the police the resources they need to protect us all in the event of a terrorist attack, but we can't have them armed to the hilt when their job is to ensure peace and security among our own citizens," he added.

When he was in Iraq, Moulton said one of the concerns was always how heavily armed his platoon was in relationship to the threat they were facing. Being overarmed, he said, means you have to sacrifice other things.

"If you're worried about getting shot, you can drive down the road in a tank, but you're not going to be able to develop a relationship with the people in the community," he said.

He said the unrest in Ferguson was a prime example of why there needs to be a balance.

"In my opinion, the police were overarmed, and although they had reason to be concerned for their safety, the level of armament they brought to the situation actually hindered their ability to achieve a peaceful resolution," Moulton said.

Providing police with military equipment was something helpful, he said, particularly in defending against a terrorist attack.

Making public those details about what equipment police departments have could be problematic, he said, as it could help terrorists to get a step ahead of police departments.

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