David Jolly defends 1033 program

When civil unrest broke out in Ferguson, Mo., this summer after the police shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, many Americans were stunned to see the Ferguson Police contend with protestors by deploying tear gas, military-style vehicles, assault rifles and smoke bombs. It prompted GOP Senator Rand Paul to condemn what he called the militarization of the police, and former Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn to say that “There is no role for the federal government in state and local police forces in our country.”

Their criticism was in reference to a little known Defense Department program known as “1033” that originated in the 1990’s. It originally allowed for the transfer of excess Dept. of Defense property to federal and stage agencies for use in counter drug activities. It was then expanded to include material that could be used for “the execution of law enforcement activities,” to include counter drug and counterterrorism missions.

Among the other items that have been sent to local police departments include MRAP armored troop carriers, night-vision rifle scopes camouflage fatigues and grenade launchers.

In the immediate aftermath of that outcry, Pinellas County Representative David Jolly introduced legislation that would ensure sure that local law enforcement agencies have the certifications required to operate such equipment, a bill he told this reporter last summer that he’d been working on pre-Ferguson.

But he supports the concept overall, which got some pushback from the hosts of 970 WFLA’s “AM Tampa Bay” radio show in Tampa on Monday morning.

“Listen, I come down on the side of law enforcement on this,” he said. “We need to protect law enforcement. If the talking heads in Washington and Berkeley and Manhattan want to come down on the side of criminals, they can justify that to the American public.”

“I get that,” replied co-host Corey Dylan. “But this just sort of sounds like they got it (equipment) because it was on sale. I just can’t imagine the situation or the scenario where they would need a grenade launcher.”

Jolly countered that providing such equipment to local law enforcement agencies is better than having it trashed. The other scenario he said could happen was for such equipment to wind up going to a country overseas “that that one day might use it against us.” And he contended that if the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Dept. didn’t have the opportunity to purchase surplus military equipment at a reduced cost, “They’re going to buy it on the market at a greater cost to the taxpayer.”

But co-host Tedd Webb was decidedly unmoved by Jolly’s advocacy.

“Who would they use a grenade launcher against, David?” Webb asked.

“Well, listen,” Jolly said, sounding surprised that he was being challenged on the issue. “We’ve got to trust local enforcement leadership to set the tone for policing. Now, I don’t know -”

“You’re dodging the question,” Webb said, interrupting him. “There’s only one person they could use a grenade launcher against, and that’s us.”

Jolly then replied that it could be used in a shopping mall hostage scenario, before confessing that he doesn’t work in law enforcement and doesn’t know the “tactics” of law enforcement.

“I know we need to elect or appoint, law enforcement leadership that we trust,” he said. “And if we think that equipment is going to be misused, than why not trust in leadership than we should replace them? Right now I have great confidence in all of our local law enforcement leadership. We’re looking for a problem in search of a solution. I haven’t seen grenade launchers on the street. I don’t think that’s an issue we face right now as a community.”