Donald Trump’s vow to return military equipment to police jeopardizes outreach to blacks

Donald Trump’s assurance that he would return certain military-grade equipment to local police departments is winning praise from law enforcement groups that detect an anti-police bias in the White House, but is prompting a wary eye from the NAACP as Mr. Trump tries to balance being the “law and order candidate” with his recent outreach to black voters.

The Republican presidential nominee has signaled in recent months that he would resume the transfer of certain military-grade equipment to local police departments. That would be a reversal of a White House policy instituted last year after police in riot gear were seen confronting protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, in the wake of the shooting death of Michael Brown in August 2014.

Mr. Trump told law enforcement officials in Ohio last month that he would return military equipment to local police. He also told Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Sheriff David Clarke in a radio interview over the summer that he would do it “in a heartbeat.”

Law enforcement groups, which have bristled at what they feel is an anti-police posture from the White House — particularly after Brown’s shooting death in Ferguson and other police-involved shootings of black men — praised Mr. Trump for the sentiment.

“There’s no shortage of evidence that the president’s decision was premature. I think that even the administration recognized that,” said Jonathan Thompson, executive director of the National Sheriffs’ Association. “I think if Mr. Trump has said that he wants to evaluate the decision and reverse it, we would applaud that.”

The White House, after seeking input from law enforcement representatives — including Mr. Thompson — signaled that it is reviewing the ban on transferring the equipment, which included tracked armored vehicles, grenade launchers and certain large-caliber weapons and ammunition.

Law enforcement groups say such equipment is welcome during lean budget times and is necessary in some cases for defensive purposes.

The life of a police officer in Orlando, Florida, was saved when a bullet hit his Kevlar helmet while he was responding to the Pulse nightclub massacre this year.

Ron Hosko, president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, called the White House’s initial move a bit of a “knee-jerk reaction” driven by politics.

“I say good for Trump for saying, ’Hold on — how about if we look at what equipment is necessary to protect the police and protect the rescuers who are the police in these threatening situations?’” said Mr. Hosko, a former assistant director of the FBI.

But tensions between police and the communities they serve have spilled over into the presidential campaign. The Black Lives Matter movement has put pressure on both major parties to adequately address a criminal justice system and law enforcement attitudes that activists say are biased against minorities.

Mothers of people killed by gun violence, including black men at the hands of police, were given a prominent platform at the Democratic National Convention in July.

Mr. Trump, meanwhile, has taken a strong stance for law enforcement. On the campaign trail, he calls himself the “law and order candidate” and says his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, is “against the police.”

He now finds himself having to balance that stance with his recent outreach to blacks, many of whom are still deeply distrustful of law enforcement.

Cornell William Brooks, president of the NAACP, said his group continues to support the demilitarization of police where it’s appropriate and that a blanket statement from Mr. Trump wouldn’t be enough.

“Here’s the problem: We cannot have policing policy via tweet or by declaration or by proclamation that has all the political and policy nuance of a bumper sticker,” Mr. Brooks said.

“So when he says he supports police departments having access to military gear, equipment, uniforms, ammunition, what program is he referring to? What gear is he referring to?” he said.

“When we talk about American lives and American values, it’s too important to be covered by generalization,” he said. “He needs to speak with some degree of granularity.”

The Trump campaign did not respond to questions on what particular pieces of banned equipment he would seek to review.

The Republican candidate has tried to turn the tables on Mrs. Clinton when it comes to race relations, calling her a “bigot” for promoting policies he says have held back the black community.

Mrs. Clinton, who supported the White House’s moves last year on military gear, has avoided the tough-on-crimes policies promoted by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, during the 1990s.

But Mr. Brooks said Mr. Trump’s recent outreach, which included a trip to a predominantly black church in Detroit, might be too little, too late.

He pointed out that Mr. Trump has turned down multiple opportunities to speak to groups such as the NAACP, the National Urban League and a black journalists group.

“When he says he’s engaged in outreach to the African-American community, I would simply note this: Going to an African-American church 60 days before the election does not a campaign make,” he said.