Pubdate: Mon, 14 Oct 2002
Source: Daily Ardmoreite, The (OK)
Copyright: 2002 Daily Ardmoreite
Contact: http://ardmoreite.com/stText/sendLetter.html
Website: http://www.ardmoreite.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1574
Author: Associated Press
Note: Posted as MAP Editor exception because of implications to drug policy 
and practice

STATE SCRAPS FEDERAL PROGRAM OFFERING MILITARY SURPLUS

OKLAHOMA CITY -- State officials say a federal program that offers military 
surplus equipment to law enforcement agencies is too much trouble to 
administer. No one in state government wants to handle the paperwork, 
compliance checks, legal liability and other strings attached to the 
federal Law Enforcement Support Office program.

"Believe me, it is fraught with problems," said Tom Jaworski, director of 
state purchasing.

The state must coordinate the program because federal agencies don't want 
to mess with hundreds of police and sheriff's departments that are looking 
for everything from gas masks and Kevlar vests to helicopters.

Municipal purchasing staffs don't have enough people or expertise to handle 
paramilitary-type equipment such as Lawton's Navy blue "Dragoon" armored 
personnel carrier.

"When that thing shows up escorted between two police cars with lights 
flashing, it's a definite psychological advantage," said Michael Johnson, 
Lawton's deputy chief of police.

State purchasing arranges transfers of surplus small arms -- pistols and 
rifles -- from the military to law enforcement agencies.

Many states have had problems with larger military surplus programs, 
Jaworski said. States must perform compliance audits on military arms 
equipment, making sure that it goes to legitimate law enforcement agencies, 
that it remains with them and that it is used for a public purpose.

Jaworski also is concerned about problems with other non-arms surplus 
materials, some of which have been known to end up in private hands, sold 
on public auctions or otherwise funneled to nonqualifying owners.

A logical alternative to a full program, Jaworski said, would be for the 
Department of Public Safety to evaluate weaponry and other military 
equipment and to verify requesting departments and their needs.

The department has the law enforcement expertise needed to handle the 
program and the staffers who can evaluate federal law enforcement 
equipment, he said.

"We have asked DPS to do that, and they will not do that," Jaworski said.

Public Safety Commissioner Bob Ricks, on vacation and unavailable for 
comment, considered taking on the support program in 1999, spokesman Lt. 
Chris West said.

"For one reason or another, the commissioner opted not to do that," West said.

Like many law enforcement agencies, the Department of Public Safety has 
benefited from military surplus. It owns two used military helicopters, but 
West said those were obtained from the Missouri State Patrol and an Arizona 
sheriff's department through a different program.
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MAP posted-by: Beth