> Horowitz isn’t alone in this approach to supporting police. Soliciting donations to police foundations to cover the cost of specific equipment purchases is an increasingly popular and controversial approach taken by some of the largest departments around the country.

How to turn the (mostly) publicly-funded police into your own private force.

To some degree it's less that ^^ and way more:

* First "tech-hit" is free (setting up LEO's to contract and buy same gear for years to come in larger volumes), and

* Bypassing public meetings to a) debate whether new spy|drone gear is appropriate and b) if so, what options are available ..

I must be missing something here, I haven't found anything about this relationship that is illegal. It's cozy, perhaps not the best way to go about things, but there's nothing in here of what they are doing that is in any way illegal. It doesn't even break regulations. I get that maybe the reporter is trying to draw a parallel between private corporations working with police departments, but I'm not seeing a problem.

You don't see a problem with one person donating millions of dollars to a police department?

What a bizarre measure of ethics.

The law is not the bar.

A billionaire is creating the impression his portfolio companies are building successful relationships in the market by providing funds to the police with which to “buy” said products.

Evidence shows they have no input on the purchases and are entirely guided by Horowitz.

In addition he is funding other police requests in return for an unspecified level of special treatment and access.

What if this doesn’t strike you as rampant corruption?