README: 1033 Program Item-Level Dataset  
Last Updated: [May 23, 2025]
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For questions, please contact:
- Kenneth Lowande: lowande@umich.edu  
- Heonuk Ha: heonukha@umich.edu  

For citation purposes, please use:
- Lowande, Kenneth and Heonuk Ha. 2025. ``Police Capacity Dataset.'' Executive Policy Research Group. Available at: police.executivepolicy.org. Accessed [insert date of access].
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DETAILS:

This is item-level data from the U.S. Department of Defense’s 1033 Program, primarily sourced from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The dataset was retrieved from the publicly accessible DLA Disposition Services website (https://www.dla.mil/Disposition-Services/Offers/Law-Enforcement/Public-Information/). This website provides only the most recent quarterly item dataset; therefore, we obtained earlier quarterly datasets through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted directly to the agency.

The dataset offers granular information on equipment transfers to law enforcement agencies (LEAs), including each agency’s geographic location, the date of transfer, and item type. We compiled and harmonized quarterly records spanning from Q4 2014 to Q4 2024. The police map only provides LEA-level information only for the most recent quarter.

To ensure data consistency and focus on equipment subject to tracking and disposal regulations, we excluded entries with DEMIL codes "A," "Q," and "6." Code "A" pertains to items regulated under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), while "Q" and "6" designate Commerce Control List Items (CCLI) that require irreversible mutilation before being released from federal control. Because such items are exempt from individual tracking, they were removed from our sample.

After cleaning and processing, each entry was classified into one of 15 major equipment categories based on the National Stock Number (NSN), and categories were verified through manual inspection. These include: firearms, firearm optics, firearm suppressors, firearm components, other military-grade weapons, ground vehicles, ground vehicle components, aircraft, aircraft components, tactical apparel and camouflage, demolition equipment, ammunition, unmanned systems, unmanned system components, and surveillance technologies.
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VARIABLES:

Variable: 		Definition
State: 	  		State name abbreviation
AgencyName:		Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) name
ori9:			Originating agency identifier (9-digit ORI code)
NSN:			National Stock Number assigned to the item
NSN_FSC	Full: 		Federal Supply Classification (first 4 digits of NSN)
NSN_FSC_2digit:		Two-digit abbreviation of Federal Supply Class
ItemName:		Name of the item received
Quantity:		Number of items transferred
UI:			Unit of Issue
AcquisitionValue:	Value of the item at acquisition
DEMILCode:		Demilitarization code for item category
DEMILIC:		Indicator for demilitarization instructions
ShipDate:		Date the item was shipped
version:		Data version number
q:			Quarter of data release
mon:			Month of data release
day:			Day of data release
yr:			Year of data release
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Categorical Flags for Item Types (1 = Yes, 0 = No)
Variable		Definition
firearms:		Firearms (pistols, rifles, shotguns)
firearm_optics:		Optics mounted on firearms (e.g., red dot, thermal)
firearm_suppressors:	Devices reducing sound/flash from firearms
firearm_components:	Firearm parts (e.g., barrels, triggers) excluding optics/suppressors
oth_weapons:		Other weapons (e.g., knives, batons, grenade launchers)
ground_vehicles:	Military ground vehicles (e.g., trucks, armored cars)
ground_vehicles_comp:	Parts/components of ground vehicles
aircraft:		Military aircraft (fixed/rotary wing)
aircraft_components:	Components/parts of aircraft
apparel_camouflage:	Tactical gear including body armor and camouflage
demolition:		Explosive devices and kits for demolition
ammunition:		Ammunition and shell casings
unmanned:		Robots, drones and unmanned vehicles
unmanned_components:	Components of unmanned systems
surveillance:		Surveillance equipment (e.g., night vision, thermal scopes)


