Obama will soon announce investigation into the militarization of police

The scenes of police aiming sniper and assault rifles at peaceful protestors in Ferguson, Missouri have sparked a national conversation and debate on the merits of arming police with excess military equipment from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Confronting the issue head on, President Barack Obama is set to announce a White House investigation into the Pentagon's disbursement of heavy military equipment to local police departments throughout the United States, according to Bloomberg.

Bloomberg reports the focus of the White House's investigation into the distribution of leftover military equipment will focus on several key issues. Among these issues is how the equipment is being used and if federal funding is appropriate.

In recent remarks on the situation in Ferguson and concerns about the police's equipment, Obama said, "There is a big difference between our military and our local law enforcement, and we don't want those lines blurred. That would be contrary to our traditions."

These statements in conjunction with Obama sending Attorney General Eric Holder to Ferguson to help relieve tension in the area suggest that the militarization of local police forces throughout the United States has become a key concern of the executive branch.

Other politicians such as Rand Paul and Claire McCaskill have weighed in on the issue. They have decried the large amounts of military technology given to local police departments, especially its deployment against peaceful protesters.

Likely presidential contender Hilary Clinton has been conspicuously absent from the debate. Even Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has questioned the program, a testament to how widespread concerns over the issue are.

Secretaries of Defense do not typically weigh in on issues of domestic policy, particularly when they are focused on matters of internal security.

The law legalizing the transfer of military equipment to local police departments was created in 1991, but the transfers accelerated rapidly in the climate of fear that prevailed after the 9/11 attacks.