Hammer Forum

The Militarization of America's Police Forces

  • This is a past program

With the cop on the beat armed with military-grade hardware and the streets of America often resembling war zones, we look into what is driving the militarization of our police. Elizabeth Beavers, legislative associate for militarism and civil liberties at the Friends Committee on National Legislation, works to roll back the Pentagon’s massive giveaway of surplus military hardware to police forces. Former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper, who now openly regrets the use of military-style policing during the infamous WTO riots of 1999, is the author of Breaking Rank: A Top Cop's Exposé of the Dark Side of American Policing.

Hammer Forum

This ongoing series of timely, thought-provoking events addresses current social and political issues.

Hammer Forum is moderated by Ian Masters, journalist, author, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, and host of the radio programs Background Briefing, Sundays at 11AM, and The Daily Briefing, Monday through Thursday at 5PM, on KPFK 90.7 FM.

Hammer Forum is made possible in part by Bronya and Andrew Galef. 

All Hammer public programs are free and made possible by a major gift from the Dream Fund at UCLA. 

Generous support is also provided by Susan Bay Nimoy and Leonard Nimoy, Good Works Foundation and Laura Donnelley, an anonymous donor, and all Hammer members. 

The Hammer’s digital presentation of its public programs is made possible by the Billy and Audrey L. Wilder Foundation.