Shopping for holiday gifts for your local police department, park ranger or campus security team? How about an “interim fast attack vehicle”? Or a nice grenade launcher? These are just a few of the $5 billion dollars worth of surplus items that the Defense Department has distributed to law enforcement agencies and others in its Excess Property Program, also called the 1033 program. Below is a list of gifts culled from
records that the department quietly made public last month. The values are based on what the Pentagon paid when it acquired the equipment. The recipients paid only shipping.
Stocking Stuffer
Anti-Personnel Mine Foot Protection
Total given 13 pairs
Total value $8k
Top recipient Oxford, Ala. Police Department (7 pair)
The Green Thumb
Rigid Handle Machete
Total given 84
Total value $1,758
Top recipient U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Long Beach, Calif. (38)