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CEO & Founder of OpenTheBooks.com Adam Andrzejewski has done some excellent work researching the alarming rate at which non-traditional defense agencies are being armed to the teeth.

Does the IRS really need tactical helmets?

From OpenTheBooks.com

Since 2006, 103 rank and file agencies outside of DOD spent $3.7 billion on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment (inflation adjusted to CPI). 27 of those agencies are traditional law enforcement under the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

However, 76 agencies are push-pushing, regulatory agencies, i.e. Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Social Security Administration (SSA), Veterans Affairs (VA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Health and Human Services (HHS).

There are now more federal agents with arrest and firearm authority (200,000) than U.S. Marines (186,000).

Since 2006, spent $35.2 million on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment (CPI adjusted). The years 2020 and 2021 were peak years at the IRS for purchasing weaponry and gear. Just since the pandemic started, the IRS has purchased $10 million in weaponry and gear. (See chart below.)

Special agents at IRS: nearly 2,100 special agents. Recently, the IRS chief testified that they are adding 600 new positions (20,000 new hires with 3% ratio of special agents). Based on headcount, the IRS ranks in the equivalent of the top 50 largest of 12,261 police departments across the country.

IRS PURCHASES SINCE 2020:

• $2.3 million on duty ammunition
• $1.2 million on ballistic shields, plus another $1.3 million on ‘various other gear for criminal investigation agents” – very non-transparent description
• $474,000 on Smith & Wesson rifles
• $467,000 on duty tactical lighting
• $463,000 on Baretta1301 tactical shotguns
• $354,000 on tactical gear bags
• 267,000 on ballistic helmets
• $243,000 on body armor vests

 

Read our report.