NEVADA CITY, Calif. April 11, 2019 – When I was attending high school at Forest Charter in 2014, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office received an armored vehicle through the Pentagon’s 1033 program. Like many other peaceful citizens, I was concerned by the presence of an intimidating piece of military equipment rolling through the streets of our sleepy mountain town.
During college, I learned more about the 1033 program and the trend of police militarization. While creating an illusion of security, research has demonstrated that giving local police military weapons puts us all at greater risk and damages relations between law enforcement and the public. One piece of national legislation would reform the 1033 program and stem the flow of military weapons flooding our communities: The Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act.
On 3/13/19, Rep. Tom McClintock became an original co-sponsor of the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act (H.R. 1714), demonstrating impactful bipartisanship in this divisive political climate. As a Nevada County native and Quaker activist, I hope Senator Kamala Harris and Senator Dianne Feinstein will follow Rep. McClintock’s lead, push for this bill to be reintroduced in the Senate, and support its passage as co-sponsors for the sake of our communities.
Bobby Trice
Nevada City