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Are Cops Too Militarized?

Are police units going too far by being overly militarized?


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PoS

Minister of Love
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Seems every government agency and city now has a SWAT team. And SWAT activity has gone up by 1500% in the last two decades.

John W. Whitehead: SWAT Team Mania: The War Against the American Citizen
The United States of SWAT? | National Review Online

Police departments are now being given surplus military vehicles too to wage war war against its own citizens.

TN Police Departments Get Tank-Like Military Vehicles - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports
Leftover armored trucks from Iraq coming to local police agencies - NY Daily News

SWAT teams now routinely use no-knock entry tactics and sometimes end up shooting innocent people when they enter the wrong house or due to faulty intel.

Jose Guerena shooting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Five Unnecessary SWAT Team Raids Gone Terribly Wrong
WND reports on SWAT raids on the innocent

Let us remember one thing, cops are not military personnel, they are classified as civilians, like everybody else who isnt military. Why should they be issued military weapons and dress like an army of occupation? Should something be done about this?

CiPhtE0.jpg


745hCwx.jpg
 
When in our history did the American right wing begin the hard turn against law enforcement? At one time American conservatives and support for law enforcement went hand in hand. Now, its obvious that the hate for government that is part and parcel of libertarianism has been extended to law enforcement. When did this devolution happen?

This thread is merely the latest example of it here.
 
To me it looks like the whole planet is overly militarized.

It wasn't like this sixty years ago.
 
I don't buy into the whole "Their coming for our freedoms!" hype, but it do think it's gone a bit far.

I think the main cause is very simply the the War on Drugs and more recently the War of Terror.

Once the profitability (and risk) of drug dealing was exponentially increased by making it illegal, drug cartels upgraded their weaponry because other criminals began ripping them off and because they have money to burn.

Enough civilians got caught up in these killings that the police upgrade their weapons in response. State and federal money poured in as part of the WoD, and only accelerated the process.

More recently, the WoT has had a similar impact, with resources rushing in with no great purpose, and now police are standing by with massive arsenals of exotic gear, itching for an opportunity.

The solution is to decriminalize drugs, draining the profits out of the illegal market, which in turn will de-escalate the related violence. Maybe, eventually, police will start feeling safe in public.
 
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When in our history did the American right wing begin the hard turn against law enforcement? At one time American conservatives and support for law enforcement went hand in hand. Now, its obvious that the hate for government that is part and parcel of libertarianism has been extended to law enforcement. When did this devolution happen?

This thread is merely the latest example of it here.
Not wanting law enforcement to be like the military is akin to hatred for the law enforcement?
 
When in our history did the American right wing begin the hard turn against law enforcement? At one time American conservatives and support for law enforcement went hand in hand. Now, its obvious that the hate for government that is part and parcel of libertarianism has been extended to law enforcement. When did this devolution happen?

This thread is merely the latest example of it here.

Do you really think this is a right-wing phenom? I'd be very surprised if that were the case. Think hippies and pigs.
 
Seems every government agency and city now has a SWAT team. And SWAT activity has gone up by 1500% in the last two decades.

John W. Whitehead: SWAT Team Mania: The War Against the American Citizen
The United States of SWAT? | National Review Online

Police departments are now being given surplus military vehicles too to wage war war against its own citizens.

TN Police Departments Get Tank-Like Military Vehicles - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports
Leftover armored trucks from Iraq coming to local police agencies - NY Daily News

SWAT teams now routinely use no-knock entry tactics and sometimes end up shooting innocent people when they enter the wrong house or due to faulty intel.

Jose Guerena shooting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Five Unnecessary SWAT Team Raids Gone Terribly Wrong
WND reports on SWAT raids on the innocent

Let us remember one thing, cops are not military personnel, they are classified as civilians, like everybody else who isnt military. Why should they be issued military weapons and dress like an army of occupation? Should something be done about this?

CiPhtE0.jpg


745hCwx.jpg

I blame the prevalence of guns in American society. The cops are decking themselves out in heavy-duty military gear because they expect (reasonably) to come under fire at some point. This isn't true in Britain, and thus our police aren't kitted out in military gear, but rather wear high-visibility green jackets so people can approach them for help.

I think this is only a natural instinct -- the police are trying to protect themselves. It's a dangerous job in America, because (incredibly) you let anyone have deadly weapons. I don't begrudge the police their protection, but I do think it's a shame it's come to this.
 
Seems every government agency and city now has a SWAT team. And SWAT activity has gone up by 1500% in the last two decades.

John W. Whitehead: SWAT Team Mania: The War Against the American Citizen
The United States of SWAT? | National Review Online

Police departments are now being given surplus military vehicles too to wage war war against its own citizens.

TN Police Departments Get Tank-Like Military Vehicles - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports
Leftover armored trucks from Iraq coming to local police agencies - NY Daily News

SWAT teams now routinely use no-knock entry tactics and sometimes end up shooting innocent people when they enter the wrong house or due to faulty intel.

Jose Guerena shooting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Five Unnecessary SWAT Team Raids Gone Terribly Wrong
WND reports on SWAT raids on the innocent

Let us remember one thing, cops are not military personnel, they are classified as civilians, like everybody else who isnt military. Why should they be issued military weapons and dress like an army of occupation? Should something be done about this?

CiPhtE0.jpg


745hCwx.jpg

Yes the police are being militarized and it should be stopped.This is nothing more than a back door violation of the Posse Comitatus Act.
 
I blame the prevalence of guns in American society. The cops are decking themselves out in heavy-duty military gear because they expect (reasonably) to come under fire at some point. This isn't true in Britain, and thus our police aren't kitted out in military gear, but rather wear high-visibility green jackets so people can approach them for help.

I think this is only a natural instinct -- the police are trying to protect themselves. It's a dangerous job in America, because (incredibly) you let anyone have deadly weapons. I don't begrudge the police their protection, but I do think it's a shame it's come to this.

I think it might be more accurate to blame law enforcement and our judicial system for not being able to keep illegal guns off the street rather than the prevalence of guns. If the punishment for being in possession of an illegal firearm were strict enough, that problem would all but correct itself, in my opinion.
 
I blame the prevalence of guns in American society. The cops are decking themselves out in heavy-duty military gear because they expect (reasonably) to come under fire at some point. This isn't true in Britain, and thus our police aren't kitted out in military gear, but rather wear high-visibility green jackets so people can approach them for help.

I think this is only a natural instinct -- the police are trying to protect themselves. It's a dangerous job in America, because (incredibly) you let anyone have deadly weapons. I don't begrudge the police their protection, but I do think it's a shame it's come to this.


Didn't the British use the military during the Olympics?


http://redtape.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/10/13203923-are-olympics-a-trojan-horse-for-big-brother
[url]http://www.city-analysis.net/2012/08/13/olympics-2012-security-welcome-to-lockdown-london/


[/URL]
 
Personally.....I think Urban cops are more militarized. Also some Suburban cops in suburbs closer to the City. I don't think it plays out to much with rural Cops and Sherriffs. That's not to say they don't have the fire power.


More important is the mentality of that one wearing that Badge. That's all that counts. Good guy or bad guy with a badge.
 
Not wanting law enforcement to be like the military is akin to hatred for the law enforcement?

You are too smart James to put up that lame statement. You know darn well that is not what I am talking about.
 
Do you really think this is a right-wing phenom? I'd be very surprised if that were the case. Think hippies and pigs.

Yes Maggie - back in the Sixties - some forty to fifty years ago, the left was the anti-law enforcement wing. So what made it switch over the last forty to fifty years?
 
You are too smart James to put up that lame statement. You know darn well that is not what I am talking about.

What is the subject of the thread? Police militarization? You responded to this thread bitching about how right wingers used respect cops, now they hate cops yadda yadda yadda. Obviously you're trying to equate objection to police militarization to hatred of the police.
 
What is the subject of the thread? Police militarization? You responded to this thread bitching about how right wingers used respect cops, now they hate cops yadda yadda yadda. Obviously you're trying to equate objection to police militarization to hatred of the police.

So the right wing wants citizens to be able to update based on latest technology in the field of weaponry but the police are somehow exempt to that same dynamic? That is the example of anti-law enforcement attitudes that permeate the far right especially right libertarians.
 

Absolutely. And I totally think there are some decent situations in which the police can and should be deployed less like police and more like civil military control. Heads of State visits, big speeches, international ceremonies, sure. But kitting up with a semi-automatic rifle, camo fatigues, four clips of ammo and grenades to go arrest a drug dealer?

That's a recipe for someone getting shot.
 
Yes Maggie - back in the Sixties - some forty to fifty years ago, the left was the anti-law enforcement wing. So what made it switch over the last forty to fifty years?

I guess I'm not seeing what you see, Haymarket.
 
When in our history did the American right wing begin the hard turn against law enforcement? At one time American conservatives and support for law enforcement went hand in hand. Now, its obvious that the hate for government that is part and parcel of libertarianism has been extended to law enforcement. When did this devolution happen?
You have cops wearing military uniforms equipped with military weapons and treating fellow citizens like an occupational army and you wonder why some segments of society dont like it? Am I reading this right?
 
You have cops wearing military uniforms equipped with military weapons and treating fellow citizens like an occupational army and you wonder why some segments of society dont like it? Am I reading this right?

Cops are a para-military organization and have been since professionalized. I have no idea what you are talking about with this "like an occupational army" statement.
 
When in our history did the American right wing begin the hard turn against law enforcement?

:roll:

Of course the likes of you would support the militarization of the police and claim anyone else who isn't for is anti-law enforcement.
 
:roll:

Of course the likes of you would support the militarization of the police and claim anyone else who isn't for is anti-law enforcement.

What militarization of the police? The things discussed int he OP are for the most part keeping up with technology. are you against the police keeping up with technology?

I suspect part of the reliance on more powerful equipment is the slavish campaign to reduce municipal budgets thereby costing police jobs and positions and the difference then has to be made up in equipment rather than bodies. And it was a right wing desire to slash taxes and government that was the impetus for this.
 
Seems every government agency and city now has a SWAT team. And SWAT activity has gone up by 1500% in the last two decades.

John W. Whitehead: SWAT Team Mania: The War Against the American Citizen
The United States of SWAT? | National Review Online

Police departments are now being given surplus military vehicles too to wage war war against its own citizens.

TN Police Departments Get Tank-Like Military Vehicles - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports
Leftover armored trucks from Iraq coming to local police agencies - NY Daily News

SWAT teams now routinely use no-knock entry tactics and sometimes end up shooting innocent people when they enter the wrong house or due to faulty intel.

Jose Guerena shooting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Five Unnecessary SWAT Team Raids Gone Terribly Wrong
WND reports on SWAT raids on the innocent

Let us remember one thing, cops are not military personnel, they are classified as civilians, like everybody else who isnt military. Why should they be issued military weapons and dress like an army of occupation? Should something be done about this?

CiPhtE0.jpg


745hCwx.jpg

Whenever the military gets a new weapon or piece of hardware the police find an excuse to buy and use it for themselves. Which is strange because they are supposed to enforce the law not wage war.

The purpose of the military is to fight the enemies of the state, the purpose of the police is to enforce the law which the people of the state are subject to. WHen the two entitites blend together the enemies of the state become the people of the state.

To be fair it is not just militarized weapons and SWAT units which are the problem. The police are using intelligence gathering methods to keep track of people and their movements. These things are the result of too many laws which need to be enforced. While the funding for much of this hardware and intelligence gathering needs to be stopped the laws they are used for also need to be repealed. We need a few laws yes but nearly so many as we have now. We also need few police to enforce them.

WCCiaK8.jpgWCCiaK8.jpg
 
Cops are a para-military organization and have been since professionalized.
Cops are civilians- you can call them para-quasi-neo military all you want but they are still civilians- what part of civilian do you not understand?
 
Cops are civilians- you can call them para-quasi-neo military all you want but they are still civilians- what part of civilian do you not understand?

The dictionary disagree with you. Every one I can find disagrees with you. Cops are not civilians.

google search definition

ci·vil·ian
səˈvilyən/
noun
1.
a person not in the armed services or the police force.
synonyms: noncombatant, nonmilitary person, ordinary citizen, private citizen; More
informal
a person who is not a member of a particular profession or group, as viewed by a member of that group.
"I talk to a lot of actresses and they say that civilians are scared of them"
adjective
adjective: civilian
1.
of, denoting, or relating to a person not belonging to the armed services or police.
"military agents in civilian clothes"
synonyms: noncombatant, nonmilitary person, ordinary citizen, private citizen; More

from Merriam Webster dictionary


ci·vil·ian noun \sə-ˈvil-yən also -ˈvi-yən\
: a person who is not a member of the military or of a police or firefighting force

I have provided many more in the past and could do so again for your continued edification and enlightenment.
 
I blame the prevalence of guns in American society. The cops are decking themselves out in heavy-duty military gear because they expect (reasonably) to come under fire at some point.

I think this is only a natural instinct -- the police are trying to protect themselves. It's a dangerous job in America, because (incredibly) you let anyone have deadly weapons. I don't begrudge the police their protection, but I do think it's a shame it's come to this.

Granted- policing is a very dangerous job here. At the same time, wearing military style uniforms is simply not needed. One can still be prepared to counter a threat while weaing a blue uniform.
 
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