Trump Ends Limits on Military Gear for Cops

WASHINGTON (AP) —  Attorney General Jeff Sessions is announcing a plan to lift restrictions on surplus military equipment that can be passed on to police.

It's a step that civil liberties groups fear will lead to more violent confrontations among police and protesters. But the Trump administration believes the program that supplies grenade launchers and high-caliber weapons to local law enforcement agencies is necessary for public safety.

Sessions is unveiling a revival of the program during a national convention of the Fraternal Order of Police, one of the groups that had long pushed Trump to end the Obama-era ban.

A summary of Trump's executive order being circulated among police groups says it shows he values safety over appearances. It describes much of the gear as "defensive in nature," intended to protect officers.

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