President Donald Trump has ordered federal agencies to increase the flow of military and national security equipment to local law enforcement, a move that has raised concerns about the militarization of policing across the United States.
Why It Matters
Research into militarized police forces has found the practice can erode public trust, escalate encounters between police and citizens and blur the distinction between military operations and domestic law enforcement.
This executive order specifically has increased fears around an encroachment toward martial law. The president has already called for his government to review the Insurrection Act, which would give more domestic power to the military, and now wants to provide regular law enforcement with militaristic material.