MORGANTOWN – The West Virginia University Board of Governors has authorized the university’s police department to participate in the federal 1033 Program through which local law enforcement agencies can obtain excess weapons, vehicles and equipment from the U.S. Department of Defense.
The request was one of a dozen items included on the consent agenda approved during the BOG’s most recent regular meeting.
According to background information presented in the meeting packet, the WVUPD requested authorization in order to acquire rifles that had previously been provided to the Morgantown Police Department.
Information available through the Defense Logistics Agency shows the MPD has received 42 rifles through the program – 30 in 5.56-caliber and 12 in 7.62-caliber. All but 10 of those long guns were received in May 2012. One was received in June 1996 and nine were received between May and August of 1998.
“Specifically, WVUPD is seeking these rifles to issue one to each certified police officer that has successfully completed annual rifle qualifications,” the BOG agenda packet states. “Currently, rifles are only located inside patrol cars or in the armory. This opportunity will enhance the ability for each officer to be properly equipped to respond to an active shooter event and protect members of the WVU community.”
While the transfer of surplus military equipment to law enforcement dates back to 1990, a 1997 revision to the National Defense Authorization Act created the Law Enforcement Support Office within the National Logistics Agency to oversee the conditional transfer of Department of Defense property that might otherwise be destroyed to participating law enforcement agencies.
LESO public information shows more than $8.4 billion worth of equipment, based on original purchase value, has been transferred since the program’s inception.
Items requested via the program include clothing, office supplies, tools, rescue equipment, vehicles and small arms broken into two categories – “controlled property” (weapons, vehicles, etc.) which is considered on loan to law enforcement, and “non-controlled property,” (tools, clothes, etc.) which the agency assumes ownership of.
The required LESO database indicates some 43 law enforcement agencies in West Virginia had received property through the program as of June 2025. The hundreds of items listed range from surplus tarps and overalls to a helicopter and flight trainer for the West Virginia State Police.
In addition to the aforementioned rifles, Morgantown received an MRAP, or mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle, in 2020 valued at $705,421.
The only other agency in Monongalia County to receive property according to the database is the Star City Police Department, which received two 5.56-calibre rifles in 1998.
