Obama taking action on police accountability, militarization

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama, responding to concerns over the use of military-style equipment during protests in Ferguson, Missouri over the summer, is asking aides to prepare an executive order that would better track the weapons and gear flowing from the federal government to local police departments around the nation.

The order, which he's expected to preview Monday afternoon during a meeting with law enforcement and local government officials, would mandate federal agencies review the way they provide U.S. police with heavy equipment like tanks and aircraft.

A report issued by the White House found the vast majority of material coming from the Department of Defense to police departments wasn't military-style: it included office supplies, furniture and tents.

But 4% of the Pentagon's output to police departments is military grade, including 92,442 small arms, 5,235 Humvees, 617 mine resistant vehicles and 616 aircraft.
Other agencies, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, also provide police with equipment and funds.

President Obama has proposed $75 million in federal matching funds for police body cameras in the wake of Michael Brown’s death at the hands of Officer Darren Wilson. The money would be spent over three years to provide body cameras for some 50,000 police officers. The funds would be part of a larger $263 million initiative to better educate local law enforcement and get the Department of Justice more involved in police training. According to early reports, under the proposal, local civilian authorization will be required for police to request controlled equipment, which will include guns and armored vehicles.