Several bills to blunt the militarization of local police forces are under consideration in Congress as lawmakers try and out do themselves in criticizing the tactics and equipment of law enforcement around the country. The Hill: Lawmakers are targeting police with new and old pieces of legislation in the wake of riots in a St. Louis suburb sparked by the killing by a police officer of an unarmed black teenager. Much of the focus has been on the heavy military equipment many local police agencies have received from the Pentagon under a 1991 law meant to combat drug dealers. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Friday that program will not get a rubber stamp when it comes up for reauthorization later this year. Other lawmakers have raised concerns about racial profiling and excessive force against African Americans by police. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) called for passage of his End Racial Profiling Act, which would bar...(Read Full Post)