St. Petersburg City Councilman Wengay Newton brought up the controversial issue of military surplus equipment at Thursday’s council meeting.
"I don't want the city to look like a military occupied force," said Newton. "Those are obviously military weapons. We don't need that here."
The University of South Florida Police Department has purchased 20 M-16 assault rifles and a Humvee from the federal program over the last few years and more recently, the Pinellas County School District bought 28 M-16’s for its police officers.
Officials say they are making sure their departments are prepared, in the rare case of campus violence. But Newton says it’s not something he wants the city of St. Petersburg to avoid. Newton pointed to Ferguson, Missouri, where he said police use of military equipment to control rioting after an officer related shooting only provoked more problems.
"You had people coming in with the equipment that they had, lunging tear gas at kids and families,” Newton said. “It was crazy."
During the discussion, St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway told the council he had no immediate plans to buy heavy weaponry from the program. If anything, he said the department would consider buying equipment that would help out in times of flooding.
Regardless, other council members told the chief they trusted his judgment and would support whatever his department decides to do, should the time come.