Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/513885
ByNedraPickler The Associated Press CAMDEN, N.J. President Barack Obama ended long- running federal trans- fers of some combat-style gear to local law enforce- ment on Monday in an at- tempt to ease tensions be- tween police and minority communities, saying equip- ment made for the battle- field should not be a tool of American criminal justice. Grenade launchers, bay- onets, tracked armored ve- hicles, weaponized aircraft and vehicles, firearms and ammunition of .50-caliber or higher will no longer be provided to state and lo- cal police agencies by the federal government under Obama's order. "We've seen how milita- rized gear can sometimes give people a feeling like there's an occupying force, as opposed to a force that's part of the community that's protecting them and serving them," Obama said, nine months after an out- cry over the use of riot gear and armored vehicles by po- lice confronting protesters in Ferguson, Missouri. "It can alienate and in- timidate local residents and send the wrong mes- sage," he said. Obama made his an- nouncement in Cam- den, New Jersey, where he praised efforts by the po- lice department to improve their relationship with a poor community struggling with violence. With police under in- creased scrutiny over highly publicized deaths of black suspects nationwide, Obama also unveiled the final report of a task force he created to help build confidence be- tween police and minor- ity communities. And he is- sued a broader appeal for Americans to address racial disparities and the needs of poor communities before they erupt into disorder. He also reiterated his call for overhauling sentencing practices for nonviolent drug crimes. "We can't ask the po- lice to be the ones to solve the problem when there are no able-bodied men in the community or kids are growing up without intact households," he said. InCamden,Obamavisited the police Real-Time Tactical OperationalIntelligenceCen- ter and watched live video displays of city neighbor- hoods being monitored by officers. He also stopped by acommunitycenterwherehe met with young people and local police officers. Ahead of his Camden remarks, Obama stopped briefly in nearby Philadel- phia to praise its police and fire officials for their quick response to last week's deadly Amtrak wreck. In addition to the prohi- bitions in his order, Obama also is placing a longer list of military equipment un- der tighter control, includ- ing wheeled armored vehi- cles like Humvees, manned aircraft, drones, specialized firearms, explosives, batter- ing rams and riot batons, helmets and shields. Start- ing in October, police will have to get approval from their city council, mayor or some other local governing body to obtain such equip- ment, provide a persua- sive explanation of why it is needed and have more training and data collec- tion on its use. Programs that trans- fer surplus military-style equipment from the Penta- gon and other federal agen- cies have been around for decades, but Congress in- creased spending to help departments acquire the gear in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks. The issue of police milita- rization rose to prominence last year after a white po- lice officer in Ferguson fa- tally shot unarmed black 18-year-old Michael Brown, sparking protests. Critics questioned why police in full body armor with ar- mored trucks responded to dispel demonstrators, and Obama seemed to sympa- thize when ordering a re- view of the programs that provide the equipment. LAW ENFORCEMENT Obama restricts police military gear that 'alienate' CHRISLACHALL—CAMDENCOURIER-POSTVIAAP President Barack Obama tours the Real-Time Tactical Operational Intelligence Center in the Camden County Police Administration Building with Camden County Police Chief J. Scott Thomson on Monday in Camden, N.J. By Joan Lowy The Associated Press WASHINGTON Five years ago, federal accident in- vestigators recommended that the government re- quire video cameras in lo- comotive cabs to record engineers' actions. But it didn't happen. Now, that's left a gap in unraveling last week's fatal Amtrak derail- ment. It's an old story for the National Transportation Safety Board. Accidents oc- cur, people die and there is a clamor for action. Later, when attention moves else- where, recommendations frequently lag for years. Some are never realized. In the Amtrak crash, the train was equipped with a "black box" data recorder and a camera focused on the track ahead. Information from those devices shows that in the last minute be- fore the crash the train ac- celerated rapidly, reaching 106 miles per hour just be- fore entering a curve where the speed limit was 50. Max- imum braking power was applied in the last few sec- onds, but it was too late. The train derailed, leav- ing eight people dead, about 200 injured and a mangled mess of rail cars. Amtrak service between Philadel- phia and New York didn't resume until Monday. What investigators would like to know is why the train accelerated. Was it a deliberate act by the engi- neer? An accident? Or was there some other reason? Questions have arisen whether the Amtrak loco- motive was hit by a pro- jectile of some kind as it passed through Philadel- phia. An engineer for a lo- cal commuter railroad re- ported being hit by some- thing shortly before the crash, and a conductor on the Amtrak train has told investigators she heard the Amtrak engineer, Brandon Bostian, say over a radio that their train had been hit as well. Bostian, who suffered a head injury in the crash, has told investigators he can't remember anything after leaving the Philadel- phia's 30th Street station, the last stop before the de- railment, until after the crash. It's exactly the kind of circumstance that the NTSB's recommendation for inward-facing video and sound cameras was sup- posed to address, says Jim Hall, who was the board's chairman in the 1990s. It's not unusual for engi- neers to be killed in train crashes, or to be seriously injured and not remember details clearly. "To not have all the in- vestigative tools when peo- ple have lost their lives in order to understand what occurred and to prevent it from recurring is a trav- esty," Hall said. "The black box can tell us what the controls did, but we don't know exactly what the op- erator did." Until recently the Federal Railroad Administration had opposed requiring the cameras, citing concern for the privacy of railroad em- ployees and worrying that the images might be used punitively by railroads. La- bor unions representing railroad engineers have also strongly opposed the cameras. "Installation of cam- eras will provide the public nothing more than a false sense of security," Den- nis Pierce, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said following a December 2013 commuter train crash in the Bronx, New York, in which it was later deter- mined the engineer had fallen asleep. "More than a century of research es- tablishes that monitoring workers actually reduces the ability to perform com- plex tasks, such as operat- ing a train, because of the distractive effect." The railroad administra- tion and the union didn't immediately respond to questions Monday from The Associated Press. In the past few months, the railroad administra- tion has told the NTSB that it intends to propose regu- lations requiring the cam- eras. However, no regula- tions have yet been pro- posed, and it typically takes federal agencies many months, if not years, to move from proposals to final regulations. The NTSB first recom- mended requiring audio recordings of sound in lo- comotive cabs in the late 1990s following a com- muter rail crash in Silver Spring, Maryland. DEADLY CRASH No video to help Amtrak probe — despite NTSB recommendation JOSEPH KACZMAREK — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Emergency personnel work the scene of a deadly train wreck in Philadelphia last week. Regular Haircut $ 2 00 off KWIK KUTS FamilyHairSalon 1064SouthMainSt.,RedBluff•529-3540 ANY RETAIL PRODUCT 20 % off withanychemicalserviceof $50 or more Notgoodwithotheroffers Expires 6/30/15 With coupon Reg. $13.95 ValleyTerraceApts Waitlistfor1,2&3bdrms USDA-RD w/HUD S8 and LIHTC, available for income qualified households. Application criteria apply. This institution is an equal oppor- tunity provider and employer 982 Toomes Ave, Corning, CA 530-824-4805 TDD: 800-735-2929 EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY RUNNINGS ROOFING SheetMetalRoofing ResidentialCommercial • Composition • Shingle • Single Ply Membrane Ownerisonsiteoneveryjob ServingTehamaCounty 530-527-5789 530-209-5367 No Money Down! "NoJobTooSteep" " No Job Too Flat" FREE ESTIMATES CA. LIC#829089 Locallyowned business offering high value, low cost energy for decades. Call Liam at 526-1551 or visit www.sacriversolar.com Lic# 996900 Smog Check (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. starting at $ 29 95 + $ 8 25 certificate SERVICESATLOWERPRICES All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K MembersWelcome Spring Coupon Special 750DavidAvenue,RedBluff•527-9193• www.tehamaestatesretirement.com find us on Facebook *lease required - new residents only Tehama Estates The areas #1 Senior Housing Provider SeniorRetirementApartments TehamaEstatesProvides: • 3 Delicious Healthy Meals Each Day • Daily Housekeeping • 24 Hour Staffing, 365 Days of the Year • Utilities Included (except phone & cable) • Transportation • Fun Activities and Events $400 off Your Monthly Rental Rate For 6 Months * American Style - It's all about the flavor! www.kahunasmongolianbbq.com 2151 Market St. • Redding • (530) 244-4200 $ 2 OFF Regularly Priced Adult Meals (Dine-In Only) One per table. Not valid on to-go, seniors or children's meals. Not valid with other offers. Present for discount. Kahunas Mongolian BBQ is where you are able to create your own stir-fry by choosing your ingredients and sauces. Interact with our grill warriors as they prepare your meal right in front of you on our 48 inch round Mongolian Grill. Kahunas has something for everyone, from vegetarians to meat lovers and even gluten free diets! 515SycamoreSt.,RedBluff 529-0260 MOULE'S TEHAMA COUNTY GLASS GOT GLASS! OPEN Saturdays 9:00-2:00 SPRING SPECIAL MODERNCLEANERS 609WalnutSt.,RedBluff•527-4308 20 % off AREA RUGS Mustbepresentedwithincomingorder.Notgoodwithotheroffers. Expires 5/30/15 Juli Foster Exclusive Agent 250 Walnut Street Red Bluff, CA 96080 Office 530-527-5534 Cell 530-339-1595 Fax 530-527-4808 julifoster@allstate.com CA Insurance License Number OD41159 24-Hour Customer Service Hoyt-Cole Chapel of the Flowers 816Walnut St., Red Bluff, CA (530) 527-1174 www.chapeloftheflowers.net Funerals • Cremations • Prearrangements FD652 Hours: Mon: 7am-2pm Tues-Sun: 7am-9pm 8051 Hwy 99E, Los Molinos • 384-1031 "Cafe by day, Steakhouse by night" FamousforourhandpressedREALBurgersandChoiceSteaks. Meeting rooms available at no charge MILL CREEK CAFE 10 Minutes from the fairgrounds 10% Off any $10.00 purchase 22755 Antelope Blvd. Red Bluff, CA 96080 OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK!! CANNED FOOD DRIVE *Validonly at H & R Block 1315 Solano St, Corning Call 530-824-7999 for a appointment Bring in 4 cans of food when you come in to get your taxes done, and get $15.00 off your tax preparation fees.* Allcannedfoodswillbedonatedto CorningChristianAssistanceFoodBank. (530) 529-1220 100 Jackson St.,Red Bluff 2 FREE Tanning Sessions withanynew membership in the month of May Valid'tillMay31,2015 | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015 4 B