April 28, 2025

Pentagon transfers 1033 Program equipment while DOJ limits Section 1983

Military gear funneled to police while civil liability shields raise use-of-force risks

🛡️National Security📋Public Policy✊Civil Rights

On 2025-04-28, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order “Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Police” (White House Law Enforcement Executive Order).

The order reinstates the Pentagon’s 1033 Program, authorizing transfer of surplus military gear—including armored vehicles, aircraft, weapons and surveillance equipment—to local police departments (Department of Defense 1033 Program Reinstatement).

The order directs federal agencies to strengthen qualified immunity protections, making it substantially harder for citizens to bring civil lawsuits against officers for constitutional violations (Justice Department Qualified Immunity Guidance).

Since 1990, the Defense Logistics Agency’s 1033 Program has transferred over $7.4 billion in military equipment to local police departments (Defense Logistics Agency 1033 Program Statistics).

The order terminates Community Oriented Policing Services initiatives—including community policing and bias training programs—by eliminating COPS-P381 requirements (Community Oriented Policing Services Program Termination).

🛡️National Security📋Public Policy✊Civil Rights

Test Your Knowledge

The order includes new protections for citizens' civil rights during police encounters.

Name the Pentagon program that transfers military equipment to police.

What is the title of Trump's law enforcement expansion executive order?

Which constitutional amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures?

How does the order affect police accountability and oversight mechanisms?

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People, bills, and sources

Donald J. Trump (President of the United States)

signed the executive order “Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Police” on April 28, 2025.

What you can do

Read the full text of Executive Order “Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Police” at https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/strengthening-unleashing-americas-police/ to identify specific grant redirections and equipment-transfer provisions.

Download the current surplus-equipment inventory under the 1033 Program from the Defense Logistics Agency at https://www.dla.mil/DispositionServices/Offers/Reutilization/LawEnforcement/PublicSafety/ to see which military vehicles, weapons and surveillance tools are available to your local department.

Compare COPS grant requirements before and after April 28, 2025 by reviewing COPS-W0955 (https://cops.usdoj.gov/RIC/ric.php?page=detail&id=COPS-W0955) and COPS-P381 termination details (https://cops.usdoj.gov/RIC/ric.php?page=detail&id=COPS-P381) to determine which oversight and training mandates were removed.

Examine the Justice Department’s qualified immunity guidance published on April 28, 2025 at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-strengthens-qualified-immunity-protections to understand how civil-liability shields for officers have changed.