William Petroski

bpetrosk@dmreg.com

Gov. Terry Branstad is standing behind the acquisition of military equipment by Iowa police agencies that ranges from combat assault rifles to armored vehicles.

The acquisition of such gear has come under heightened scrutiny amid a highly militarized response by police in Ferguson, Mo., as protesters rioted after an unarmed young man was shot to death by a law enforcement officer.

"I trust our local law enforcement and our state public safety to use appropriate discretion" about when to use such technology and equipment, Branstad told reporters Monday at his weekly news briefing. "I think they have been very careful in the way that they have used it. I think that is very important. They need to protect the public safety of our citizens. But they also need to use appropriate discretion as to when to use particular equipment and when not to."

Iowa police departments have armed themselves with grenade launchers, armored vehicles, automatic rifles and other equipment — 2,022 items in all since 2006, worth an estimated $7.5 million, according to a Des Moines Register review of federal records.

The equipment came through a U.S. Department of Defense program known as 1033, which dates to the early 1990s and has distributed surplus gear ranging from weapons to laptops. Local police agencies have acquired the stockpile virtually free.

State Sen. Jack Hatch, D-Des Moines, who is running against Branstad for governor, issued a statement Monday saying that Iowa has a tradition of law enforcement professionals being well-trained and prepared to act to protect public safety, and that he would honor that tradition as governor.

"The discretion as to whether and how to use the technology at their disposal is rightly placed with the leadership of local law enforcement agencies. To the extent the state has any role, it would be to provide technical support to make sure any formerly federal or military equipment is properly and appropriately used," Hatch said.