Local Police React To Obama's Military Equipment Ban

Hawkins County Sheriff's Office will be more affected by the ban on law enforcement being given military-style equipment than the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office or Kingsport Police Department.President Barack Obama announced the ban on Monday after months of protests over the highly publicized killings of unarmed black men by law enforcement officers.Some of the banned items would include armored vehicles that run on a tracked system instead of wheels, weaponized aircraft or vehicles, firearms or ammunition of .50-caliber or higher, grenade launchers, bayonets or camouflage uniforms.Other items would come under tighter control of the federal government like Humvees, drones, manned aircrafts, explosives, battering rams and riot batons, helmets and shields."This new ban on military equipment will have some effect on my office," said Hawkins County Sheriff Ronnie Lawson.