Photo by Philip Sean Curran
By Philip Sean Curran
Monmouth County Freeholders last week voted unanimously to allow county Sheriff Shaun Golden to continue to seek surplus military equipment from the Department of Defense for the sheriff’s office.
The federally funded “1033 program,” named after legislation, provides weapons, binoculars, vehicles and other equipment to law enforcement agencies around the country. In its resolution, the freeholders said the program enabled the county to acquire valuable equipment that it could not otherwise afford, and has helped equip the county in its effort to recover from weather events such as Super Storm Sandy in 2012.
“I think it’s fiscally and practically a great thing for us , ” Freeholder Gerry P. Scharfenberger said. “You’re getting equipment at no cost that will aid in everything. And don’t forget, especially during an emergency like Sandy, we used a lot of that military surplus equipment to help rescue people, to help clear infrastructure.”
“If he feels it’s something we can use and require, he has that latitude,” Freeholder Lillian G. Burry said of Golden.
Golden did not respond to a request for comment made through his office.
The federal government keeps track of which agencies around the country have participated in the program and the equipment they have.
“There are more than 7,000 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies now participating in the program,” said Michelle McCaskill, a spokeswoman for the Defense Logistics Agency, which manages the 1033 program. “Five percent of all the equipment provided to law enforcement agencies through the program are weapons. Less than one percent are tactical vehicles. Since its inception, the program has transferred more than $6.8 billion worth of property.”
Police forces in Monmouth are among the many law enforcement agencies in the state that have participated in the 1033 program.
In Middletown, police have acquired a laptop computer and a survival vest, among other things. Monmouth Beach Police has obtained two trucks, while the Neptune City Police Department has acquired rifles, trucks and other equipment.
The list for the Sheriff’s office includes what’s de- scribed as “parts kit, vehicular lighting” and “receiver subassembly, radio.”
Red Bank Police Chief Darren McConnell said that between the police department and the office of emergency management, the borough has obtained two Humvees and one high water rescue vehicle.
“The Humvees, we can use them during floods, but we don’t get a whole lot of flooding in Red Bank,” he said. “We use them more often in a larger snow storm. Most of our patrol cars are all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, but sometimes if the snow gets too deep in some of the unplowed areas, we use the Humvee to get through the snow.”
Other items have included pelican cases used for carrying equipment, office furniture, binoculars and gear bags. The department has not obtained weapons through the program, he said.
The Red Bank Council, though, has to give final approval for obtaining any vehicles, said councilwoman and police commissioner Kate L. Triggiano. There are no plans at the moment to get any vehicles, she said.
She said she had trust in the police “to make the proper decision on the equipment necessary for our department.”
Nationally, there have been some concerns about the militarization of local law enforcement. In nearby Mercer County, freeholders voted in September to buy a $309,000 armored vehicle from a vendor for the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Jack Kemler said it is “not a tank and not an assault vehicle” but rather would be used in emergencies involving a sniper or other dangerous cases. There was opposition to the purchase amid concerns of law enforcement becoming militarized.
Some federal lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-6), want to see reforms to the 1033 program, including preventing local police from getting military grade weapons, among other things. He and other members of Congress are supporting legislation that would make that and other changes.
Pallone, whose district includes parts of Monmouth County, was not available for comment.
