US Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, met with local law enforcement in Jefferson City on Monday to discuss when police use military surplus equipment.
The meeting, which was closed to the media, comes almost two months after police responded to protests following the death of Michael Brown with tear gas, armored vehicles and other military equipment acquired through Department of Defense and Homeland Security programs.
Blunt said law enforcement officials he has talked to only use the equipment for defensive purposes and that programs like these are beneficial.