Webinar on-demand — America’s endless wars come home: the militarization of the police

WATCH THE LIVE EVENT BELOW

Thursday, July 2nd from 1-2 PM ET: The use of military equipment against Americans protesting police brutality demonstrates the link between militarization abroad and at home. The War on Drugs, the War on Terror, the bloated Pentagon budget, pork barrel politics of Members of Congress, have all led to systematic militarized violence against Americans. If police see themselves as soldiers, and the neighborhoods they patrol as battle space, then ordinary American citizens are the enemy.

This Thursday, the Quincy Institute will host a virtual panel, “America’s endless wars come home: the militarization of the police” to discuss how we got to this point, and how to reduce the militarization of the police moving forward.

Andrew Bacevich, President of the Quincy Institute, will discuss the implications of militarized police for the civil-military relationship, and the impact of endless war on our domestic situation.

Bill Hartung, of the Center for International Policy, will discuss why the Pentagon has so much excess military equipment that ends up in the hands of police departments, and whether reform must begin with the Department of Defense or Congress.

Wayne McElrath, of the Project on Government Oversight, will explain the vulnerabilities of the 1033 program, and efforts to curtail the flow of equipment.

Sara DuBois, of the Pentagon Budget Campaign, will serve as moderator.