VOA标准英语2014--Militarization of US Police Probed in Congress

 

Militarization of US Police Probed in Congress

U.S. lawmakers in Washington are reviewing federal government programs that provide billions of dollars in surplus military equipment to civilian¹ police departments.

The action comes amid growing calls to end to the so-called "militarization" of local law-enforcement agencies following the police response to quell² days of unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, shortly after the fatal shooting last month of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer.

Events in Ferguson drew worldwide attention when local police, dressed in military uniforms with assault weapons and armored combat vehicles, fired tear gas to break up demonstrations³ over the shooting death of Michael Brown.

The police response drew criticism over the militarization of civilian police departments and the use of combat equipment to suppress protests.  During a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing Tuesday, Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill said the use of combat equipment in Ferguson was unnecessary.

"Officers dressed in military fatigues⁴ are not viewed as partners in any community.  Armored military vehicles, even if they are painted black and used with the utmost discretion⁵ are, by definition, intimidating," said McCaskill," said McCaskill.

McCaskill and other lawmakers are looking into several federal government programs that give surplus military weapons and equipment  to local police forces.  Since 1997, the Defense⁶ Department has given away five billion dollars worth of equipment - meant to be used to fight crime and terrorism. and respond to disasters.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul opposes this.

"Many of the police forces actually think that this equipment would be good for riot suppression in a big city, in an urban area and you [the Department of Defense] are specifically instructed that it is not for that.  By supplying all of this free equipment, much of which is frankly⁷ inappropriate, and really should not be on anybody's list of authorized⁸  equipment," said Paul.

Defense Department officials say the military equipment and supplies are useful to law enforcement agencies. But Alan Estevez, the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, said the Pentagon cannot monitor how the equipment is used.

"I think we need to review all of the equipment that we are providing, Senator.  And as I said, we at the Department of Defense do not push any of this equipment on any police force.  The states decide what they need," said Estevez.

Saint Louis newspaper photojournalist Wiley Price covered the Ferguson unrest.  He says people were surprised to see police driving around in military vehicles, pointing assault weapons at them.

"Other photographers were questioning each other about what was going on and this went on for three or four days.  And police aggravated⁹  peaceful marchers when they were just standing¹⁰ there chanting," said Price.

Western Kentucky University Criminal Justice Professor Jim Bueermann told lawmakers he supports giving police military equipment -- but with more training on when it is appropriate to use.

"If there is any silver lining¹¹ that comes out of the event in Ferguson is that we begin this discussion that should have happened in 1997, not 2014, about how we use this equipment, whether it comes from a federal program or out of a city's general fund in an appropriate way that doesn't damage the relationship police have with the community," said Bueermann.

Lawmakers say they will continue to review government programs that provide military equipment to domestic police departments.

Meanwhile the Obama Administration is conducting its own investigation¹² into the program - hoping to avoid the kind of police response in Ferguson that sparked so much outrage¹³ and controversy¹⁴.

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

3 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

4 fatigues   

n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服

参考例句：

• The patient fatigues easily. 病人容易疲劳。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Instead of training the men were put on fatigues/fatigue duty. 那些士兵没有接受训练，而是派去做杂务。 来自辞典例句

5 discretion   

n.谨慎；随意处理

参考例句：

• You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
• Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

8 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

9 aggravated   

使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火

参考例句：

• If he aggravated me any more I shall hit him. 假如他再激怒我，我就要揍他。
• Far from relieving my cough, the medicine aggravated it. 这药非但不镇咳，反而使我咳嗽得更厉害。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

12 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

13 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

14 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。