Militarization of US Police
#1

Hello guys,
I would like to start a discussion about the so-called militarization of the police.
There's a growing debate about whether we should or should not have cops with heavy assault rifles, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and officers that look more like soldiers in Iraq than like police officers.
This militarization is fed by the defense budgets that the government open up for 'the war against drugs' as is explained in the article below

Quote:IN MAY 2015, Barack Obama barred the federal government from providing some military equipment to American police departments. The extraordinary arsenal maintained by some departments—which includes body armour, powerful weapons and armoured vehicles—had become highly visible over the previous year, as a result of outbreaks of unrest in response to police violence. In August 2014 Darren Wilson, a police officer, shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old black man in Ferguson, Missouri, sparking large local demonstrations. Two days after the shooting, tactical officers—paramilitary police generally referred to as SWAT (for Special Weapons and Tactics) teams—were called in to help clear protestors from in front of Ferguson's police department. They arrived dressed for war, in riot gear and gas masks, bearing long truncheons and automatic weapons. Americans have grown used to seeing police respond to protests with tear gas, carrying automatic weapons and sniper rifles, and riding in vehicles that would not look out of place in Baghdad or Aleppo. The days of the beat cop walking the street with nothing more than a trusty old revolver seem distant indeed. How did America's police forces become so heavily armed?

As with so much else in American governance, the explanation starts with federal cash. Every year Congress passes the National Defense Authorization Act, which sets out the Defense Department's budget and expenditures. The version passed in 1990, in the wake of a sharp rise in drug-related violence, allowed the Defense Department to transfer military gear and weapons to local police departments if they were deemed "suitable for use in counter-drug activities". Between 2002 and 2011 the Department of Homeland Security, established after the attacks of September 11th 2001, disbursed more than $35 billion in grants to state and local police forces. In addition the "1033 program" allows the Defense Department to distribute surplus equipment to local police departments for use in counter-terrorism and counter-drug activities. The American Civil Liberties Union found that the value of military equipment used by American police departments has risen from $1 million in 1990 to nearly $450 million in 2013.


For the full article, click here


I think that a lot of equipment is being used in unjust ways, as can be heard in the trailer. I don't think there should be warriors cops because they are operating within a city, I think these officers are being used way to much. I think there needs to be distinction between highly trained SWAT officers and officers that are heavily armed, with distinction I'm talking about the fact that only SWAT officers are allowed to have militaristic gear as they are involved in high risk situations.

These are just some of the opinions I got within this discussion.
I'm really curious what you guys think about this 'problem' let me know down below!
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#2
If it was going to happen in a country like ours, I would've said yes to some points. But in a country like the USA with trigger happy people in it, then no. They would be more violence. The armoured vehicles are overkill in my opinion.

But for the rest of it; I totally agree with your opinion.
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#3
I'm pretty used to it, here are some 'normal' police officers in Turkey:
[Image: 131120171517053509207_2.jpg]

[Image: hqdefault.jpg]

I'd me more worried about the growing power of law enforcement in terms of electronics-several drones were downed without warning in my area recently, and a lot of police officers carry jammers
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#4
I can understand why America is arming and equipping their police with heavier gear. The Police are dealing with dangerous threats in dangerous situations more than ever, I mean every now and then there's some shooting going on by a mad man with a rifle and the police needs tools to deal with them, or deal with dangerous armed criminals or deal with prepared and trained rioters in an escalating riot. In the past the police indeed had only a trusty revolver, but those days are gone now. incidents of domestic terrorism, violent shootings and criminals with automatic firearms and other small arms are more common than in the past, you just can't use a revolver or a semi automatic pistol only anymore. You need a good old trusty rifle now more than ever. Armoured vehicle is a debated subject, I believe they need them to protect their lives, otherwise they'd just get simply shot in a police cruiser or get their cruisers on fire and damaged by rocks in riots.
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#5
(03-18-2018, 08:29 PM)Archer Wrote: I'm pretty used to it, here are some 'normal' police officers in Turkey:
[Image: 131120171517053509207_2.jpg]

[Image: hqdefault.jpg]

I'd me more worried about the growing power of law enforcement in terms of electronics-several drones were downed without warning in my area recently, and a lot of police officers carry jammers

Bullshit normal police officers
#6
(03-18-2018, 08:42 PM)Zombie Wrote: I can understand why America is arming and equipping their police with heavier gear. The Police are dealing with dangerous threats in dangerous situations more than ever, I mean every now and then there's some shooting going on by a mad man with a rifle and the police needs tools to deal with them, or deal with dangerous armed criminals or deal with prepared and trained rioters in an escalating riot. In the past the police indeed had only a trusty revolver, but those days are gone now. incidents of domestic terrorism, violent shootings and criminals with automatic firearms and other small arms are more common than in the past, you just can't use a revolver or a semi automatic pistol only anymore. You need a good old trusty rifle now more than ever. Armoured vehicle is a debated subject, I believe they need them to protect their lives, otherwise they'd just get simply shot in a police cruiser or get their cruisers on fire and damaged by rocks in riots.
I totally agree with you about the dangers they face, law enforcement frequently have to deal with life threatening situations. But armoured vehicles are not needed in a city. They've been made to provide the army because of the growing demand of mine resistant vehicles in Afghanistan. There's already a lot of technology available to make police cruiser bullet resistant. Take for instance the video below. If we equip every police cruiser with this type of window, that'll solve a lot of problems. Obviously the SWAT will need a special range of vehicles but I don't think they need no where near how much are being used today.

As about the vehicles used in riots, you don't need MRAP. In my opinion it's as simple as that.
In my country we have a special range of vehicles just for riot oppression. Take for instance the vehicle below, which is very similar to the one we have in my country.
[Image: maxresdefault.jpg]

I think the main problem is that law enforcement are using the equipment in unjust ways.
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#7
Given the fact that I am from the country in question, I will give my 2¢ on this.

The amount of mass shootings plaguing my country is unnerving to say the least. I find that with the growing number of mass shootings, the “military” style equipment is necessary to effectively respond to, secure, and diffuse situations like the Stoneman-Douglas shooting. I cannot stress enough that I personally believe that in a situation like that, a singular officer (who should be stationed at the school) on scene has a responsibility to hold off the assailent long enough to allow the proper resources to respond and deploy whilst ensuring that themselves and students are protected. Out-gunning the assailent is an intimidation technique which often times is used (and works) to force the suspect into surrendering. Police Departments may have to be all gung-ho at some points, however nobody likes the outcome when that happens. In essence, they are life-saving organizations, not life-taking ones. You don’t see officers strolling down the street carrying an assault rifle, you see a standard issue service weapon, holstered. The only time or place when you may see an officer openly carrying an assault rifle when there is not an active emergency is at a large scale event, such as the New Years festivities in Times Square each year, or whilst guarding a specific building or individual, such as the White House or President Trump.

For that reason, I disagree that the Police Force is being militarized. Just because they have the equipment at their disposal doesn’t mean it’s used.
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Reebs
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#8
(03-19-2018, 12:09 PM)Reebs Wrote: Given the fact that I am from the country in question, I will give my 2¢ on this.

The amount of mass shootings plaguing my country is unnerving to say the least. I find that with the growing number of mass shootings, the “military” style equipment is necessary to effectively respond to, secure, and diffuse situations like the Stoneman-Douglas shooting. I cannot stress enough that I personally believe that in a situation like that, a singular officer (who should be stationed at the school) on scene has a responsibility to hold off the assailent long enough to allow the proper resources to respond and deploy whilst ensuring that themselves and students are protected. Out-gunning the assailent is an intimidation technique which often times is used (and works) to force the suspect into surrendering. Police Departments may have to be all gung-ho at some points, however nobody likes the outcome when that happens. In essence, they are life-saving organizations, not life-taking ones. You don’t see officers strolling down the street carrying an assault rifle, you see a standard issue service weapon, holstered. The only time or place when you may see an officer openly carrying an assault rifle when there is not an active emergency is at a large scale event, such as the New Years festivities in Times Square each year, or whilst guarding a specific building or individual, such as the White House or President Trump.

For that reason, I disagree that the Police Force is being militarized. Just because they have the equipment at their disposal doesn’t mean it’s used.

It's interesting to read your side of the story, obviously I'm from a different country which alters my opinion. After reading your story, and several others online, I do believe this 'militarization' (please note that I've put it in between quotations) is needed to some degree.
 Yet I still think that equipment is being used in unjust ways, f.i. why would you need an MRAP at a riot?

I totally understand the dangers cops go through nowadays and I'm certain that they need assault rifles in order to respond to emergency situations. I just don't think there's a good distinction between heavily trained and armed officers and regular patrol officers.
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#9
The use of armored vehicles is solely for the protection of the responding officer(s).
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Reebs
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#10
(03-19-2018, 04:50 PM)Reebs Wrote: The use of armored vehicles is solely for the protection of the responding officer(s).

Could be true but why are they being used for riot oppression and non-emergency drug busts? I just don't get it.
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