Indianapolis – 12/20/24 – The National Police Association enthusiastically supports the Lifesaving Gear for Police Act of 2024 (H.R. 9745), a bipartisan bill introduced by Reps. Michael Waltz (FL-6) and Jared Moskowitz (FL-23). The bill would remove the Obama and Biden imposed bureaucracy blocking state and local law enforcement agencies from easily acquiring critical surplus military equipment from the federal government. The bill’s text can be found here.
Police agencies have historically been able to apply for excess military equipment via the Department of Defense-administered 1033 Program. The 1033 Program, officially known as the Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) Program, allows the transfer of excess military equipment to law enforcement agencies.
Executive Orders 13688 (Obama) and 14074 (Biden) restricted the 1033 Program, making it more challenging for law enforcement agencies to acquire and use this critical equipment. The Lifesaving Gear for Police Act of 2024 would prevent the enforcement of these anti-law enforcement prohibitions which in some cases prevent the use of armored vehicles to protect police officers and the public from armed assailants.
“Our nation’s officers are responding to a growing number of more complex, high-stakes situations that encompass active shooters, civil unrest, and concerns of potential terror attacks. Law enforcement agencies need to be able to access this life-saving equipment without undue delays or restrictions,” said Paula Fitzsimmons, Legislative Director of the National Police Association.
The Lifesaving Gear for Police Act of 2024 is also a cost-saving measure for law enforcement agencies. “Because many police agencies are grappling with budget cuts, their only path to acquiring high-level protective equipment is via the 1033 Program. Having to navigate red tape only makes this path more difficult and time-consuming,” Fitzsimmons added.
Rather than allowing unused military gear to deteriorate, it makes more fiscal sense to entrust local law enforcement agencies with determining their own equipment needs.
The National Police Association would like to thank Reps. Waltz and Moskowitz for introducing the bipartisan Lifesaving Gear for Police Act of 2024, a bill that would help prevent government fiscal waste and remove the burdensome regulations preventing police agencies from readily accessing lifesaving equipment. If enacted, officers would be in a better position to protect themselves and the communities they so courageously serve.
The National Police Association (NPA) is a nonprofit organization supporting law enforcement through advocacy, education, and law. For more information, visit NationalPolice.org.
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