“An Associated Press investigation of the Defense Department program, originally aimed at helping local law enforcement fight terrorism and drug trafficking, found that a disproportionate share of the $4.2 billion worth of property distributed since 1990 has been obtained by police departments and sheriff’s offices in rural areas with few officers and little crime. The national giveaway program operates with scant oversight, and the surplus military gear often sits in storage, the AP found.”
formerly http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ap-impact-little-restraint-military-giveaways