Local Police Accept Federal Grants to Expand Surveillance

The federal government is steadily offering money to local police departments that is making them more beholden to the feds and is also helping to change the character of local law enforcement. Here is just a sampling of reports of congressmen crowing about the awarding of grants by the federal government to police departments nationwide and the next-gen technology and tools cops are buying with the boon.

 

From Chicago (as reported by WGN-TV on September 8):

 

The Chicago Police Department will be getting more than $2.3 million in federal funding to purchase equipment and support overtime patrols, Sen. Dick Durbin announced Thursday [September 8].

 

“The men and women in law enforcement put their lives on the line day and night to keep our communities safe,” Durbin said in a news release. “This grant funding will help equip those officers with the best, most up-to-date tools to do their jobs effectively and keep residents safe.”

 

Durbin had earlier praised the receipt of federal funds by other cities in the Land of Lincoln. The Associated Press reported on August 29:

 

Three Illinois communities will receive nearly $300,000 in federal grants to help law enforcement and corrections officers.

 

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin announced Monday [August 29] that the cities of Rockford, Aurora and Decatur will get funds from the Department of Justice.

 

Read More: Local Police Accept Federal Grants to Expand Surveillance