August 30, 2012 To: Rep. Steven C. LaTourette Sen. Sherrod Brown Sen.

Rob Portman Subject: USMC training of civilian police I am writing to express concern about an August 23 report from WNCT CBS 9 News in Greenville, NC, titled Marines, civilian police officers conduct urban training exercise, found at http://www2.wnct.com/news/2012/aug/23/8/marines-civilian-police-officers-conduct-urban-tra-ar2542928/. The militarization of police forces ought to concern every liberty-minded American regardless of political affiliation. That concern prompted me to contact USMC public affairs with the following inquiry: My father fought with the Marines on Guam. His brother fought on Guadalcanal and later at Chosin. Another uncle was also with the Marines in WWII and Korea. All are now gone. I tell you now, and in no uncertain terms, your training police for domestic warfare is something that would have caused them all concern. This can't simply be dismissed with a statement to the media when they write about a training exercise like the one I see in the linked article. We the People deserve to know more. Full disclosure to these domestic war-making preparations to the public is required, including exactly and specifically why you are doing this, who ordered it, and what controls are in place to ensure that the mission is one of securing the blessings of liberty in time of crisis as opposed to subduing the populace. Included with this full disclosure must be what level of civilian oversight is currently in place. Of paramount importance: Does the training you provide mention privately-owned firearms, and what to do when they are encountered? Because the theater of operation you're training these guys to deploy in will be full of them. Additionally, as you are teaching application of military might, what documentation do you have to ensure you are also teaching them military responsibility? How much of the training includes a review of Constitutional restraints on government, the importance of oaths of office, and a review of illegal orders and the duty to stand down from them? I'm sure the folks you're training for urban pacification and sniping all have a signed form in their personnel jackets saying they understand workplace discrimination and sexual harassment proscriptions. Is there anything at least as formal required for this? I will be contacting my representative and senators to ask them what they know about these training

efforts and what they intend to do to ensure appropriate controls for the transparent protection of civil liberties are in place. What do you know about this and what do you intend to do to ensure such controls are in place? Seriously,

David Codrea [ADDRESS AND PHONE REDACTED]