[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 14 (Thursday, January 22, 2015)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 3451-3453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01255]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 14 / Thursday, January 22, 2015 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 3451]]


                Executive Order 13688 of January 16, 2015

                
Federal Support for Local Law Enforcement 
                Equipment Acquisition

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, and in order to better coordinate Federal 
                support for the acquisition of certain Federal 
                equipment by State, local, and tribal law enforcement 
                agencies, I hereby order as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. For decades, the Federal Government 
                has provided equipment to State, local, and tribal law 
                enforcement agencies (LEAs) through excess equipment 
                transfers (including GSA donations), asset forfeiture 
                programs, and Federal grants. These programs have 
                assisted LEAs as they carry out their critical missions 
                to keep the American people safe. The equipment 
                acquired by LEAs through these programs includes 
                administrative equipment, such as office furniture and 
                computers. But it also includes military and military-
                styled equipment, firearms, and tactical vehicles 
                provided by the Federal Government, including property 
                covered under 22 CFR part 121 and 15 CFR part 774 
                (collectively, ``controlled equipment'').

                The Federal Government must ensure that careful 
                attention is paid to standardizing procedures governing 
                its provision of controlled equipment and funds for 
                controlled equipment to LEAs. Moreover, more must be 
                done to ensure that LEAs have proper training regarding 
                the appropriate use of controlled equipment, including 
                training on the protection of civil rights and civil 
                liberties, and are aware of their obligations under 
                Federal nondiscrimination laws when accepting such 
                equipment. To this end, executive departments and 
                agencies (agencies) must better coordinate their 
                efforts to operate and oversee these programs.

                Sec. 2. Law Enforcement Equipment Working Group. (a) 
                There is established an interagency Law Enforcement 
                Equipment Working Group (Working Group) to identify 
                agency actions that can improve Federal support for the 
                acquisition of controlled equipment by LEAs, including 
                by providing LEAs with controlled equipment that is 
                appropriate to the needs of their community; ensuring 
                that LEAs are properly trained to employ the controlled 
                equipment they acquire; ensuring that LEAs adopt 
                organizational and operational practices and standards 
                that prevent the misuse or abuse of controlled 
                equipment; and ensuring LEA compliance with civil 
                rights requirements resulting from receipt of Federal 
                financial assistance. The Working Group shall be co-
                chaired by the Secretary of Defense, Attorney General, 
                and Secretary of Homeland Security. In addition to the 
                Co-Chairs, the Working Group shall consist of the 
                following members:

(i) the Secretary of the Treasury;

(ii) the Secretary of the Interior;

(iii) the Secretary of Education;

(iv) the Administrator of General Services;

(v) the Director of the Domestic Policy Council;

(vi) the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy;

(vii) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;

(viii) the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and 
Public Engagement;

[[Page 3452]]

(ix) the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and 
Counterterrorism;

(x) the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff of the Office of the 
Vice President; and

(xi) the heads of such other agencies and offices as the Co-Chairs may, 
from time to time, designate.

                    (b) A member of the Working Group may designate a 
                senior-level official who is from the member's agency 
                or office and is a full-time officer or employee of the 
                Federal Government to perform the day-to-day Working 
                Group functions of the member. At the direction of the 
                Co-Chairs, the Working Group may establish subgroups 
                consisting exclusively of Working Group members or 
                their designees under this subsection, as appropriate.
                    (c) There shall be an Executive Director of the 
                Working Group, to be appointed by the Attorney General. 
                The Executive Director shall determine the Working 
                Group's agenda, convene regular meetings, and supervise 
                its work under the direction of the Co-Chairs. The 
                Department of Justice shall provide funding and 
                administrative support for the Working Group to the 
                extent permitted by law and within existing 
                appropriations. Each agency shall bear its own expenses 
                for participating in the Working Group.

                Sec. 3. Mission and Function of the Working Group. (a) 
                The Working Group shall provide specific 
                recommendations to the President regarding actions that 
                can be taken to improve the provision of Federal 
                support for the acquisition of controlled equipment by 
                LEAs, which may include, to the extent permitted by 
                law:

(i) developing a consistent, Government-wide list of controlled equipment 
allowable for acquisition by LEAs, as well as a list of those items that 
can only be transferred with special authorization and use limitations;

(ii) establishing a process to review and approve proposed additions or 
deletions to the list of controlled equipment developed pursuant to 
paragraph (i) of this subsection;

(iii) harmonizing Federal programs so that they have consistent and 
transparent policies with respect to the acquisition of controlled 
equipment by LEAs;

(iv) requiring after-action analysis reports for significant incidents 
involving federally provided or federally funded controlled equipment;

(v) developing policies to ensure that LEAs abide by any limitations or 
affirmative obligations imposed on the acquisition of controlled equipment 
or receipt of funds to purchase controlled equipment from the Federal 
Government and the obligations resulting from receipt of Federal financial 
assistance;

(vi) planning the creation of a database that includes information about 
controlled equipment purchased or acquired through Federal programs;

(vii) ensuring a process for returning specified controlled equipment that 
was acquired from the Federal Government when no longer needed by an LEA;

(viii) requiring local civilian government (non-police) review of and 
authorization for LEAs' request for or acquisition of controlled equipment;

(ix) requiring that LEAs participating in Federal controlled equipment 
programs receive necessary training regarding appropriate use of controlled 
equipment and the implementation of obligations resulting from receipt of 
Federal financial assistance, including training on the protection of civil 
rights and civil liberties;

(x) providing uniform standards for suspending LEAs from Federal controlled 
equipment programs for specified violations of law, including civil rights 
laws, and ensuring those standards are implemented consistently across 
agencies; and

[[Page 3453]]

(xi) creating a process to monitor the sale or transfer of controlled 
equipment from the Federal Government or controlled equipment purchased 
with funds from the Federal Government by LEAs to third parties.

                    (b) The Working Group shall engage with external 
                stakeholders, including appropriate State officials, 
                law enforcement organizations, civil rights and civil 
                liberties organizations, and academics, in developing 
                the recommendations required by subsection (a) of this 
                section.
                    (c) The Working Group shall provide the President 
                with an implementation plan for each of its 
                recommendations, which shall include concrete 
                milestones with specific timetables and outcomes to be 
                achieved.

                Sec. 4. Report. Within 60 days of the date of this 
                order, the Working Group shall provide the President 
                with any recommendations and implementation plans it 
                may have regarding the actions set forth in section 
                3(a)(i) and (ii) of this order. Within 120 days of the 
                date of this order, the Working Group shall provide the 
                President with any additional recommendations and 
                implementation plans as set forth in section 3 of this 
                order.

                Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law or Executive Order to an agency, or the 
head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity by any party against 
                the United States, its departments, agencies, or 
                entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 
                other person.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    January 16, 2015.

[FR Doc. 2015-01255
Filed 1-21-15; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F5