Congressman wants to curb military surplus program

WASHINGTON (AP) — Images of police outfitted in paramilitary gear clashing with protesters in suburban St. Louis are giving new impetus to efforts to rein in a Pentagon program that provides free machine guns and other surplus military equipment to local law enforcement agencies.

Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., says he plans to introduce legislation when Congress returns in September to curb what he describes as an increasing militarization of police agencies across the country. Police responding to protesters angry about the weekend shooting death of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, wore riot gear and deployed tear gas, dogs and armored vehicles.