Posted on Dec 21, 2016
Do you feel afraid if you notice law enforcement have submachine guns at the airport?
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Police
Law Enforcement
Homeland Security
Terrorism
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 69
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SSG (Join to see)
I wouldn't say it scares me. I have traveled, as most of us, and was very accustomed to seeing the police or even military patrolling the airport, streets and shopping centers with various weapons. That said.. Seeing how the police here in the U.S. seem to spray and pray with there service pistol I would be an advocate for better training.. especially in an airport or mall setting.. Training is the key.
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CPT Duane Caswell
After 34 years in law enforcement I know that the level of training varies greatly from agency to agency. Some are well trained and some are not trained at all. I have worked with some who I would have to shoot first in self defense if I saw them behind me with an automatic weapon in their hands.
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LTC Stephen Conway, the German Polizei were carrying submachine guns in airports in the early eighties. It didn't bother me then, and it doesn't bother me now.
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1LT Rich Voss
Colonel - They were actually carrying them at Rhein-Main much earlier than that. I had been in Germany visiting family and Army friends during the Munich Olympics in the early '70s. After the hostage taking and massacre, three things happened: A) did NOT go to Olympics as planned, B) waited a few extra days to go home, and C) the airport was "swarming" with German troops and police of both genders carrying automatic weapons. Everyone boarding planes were also ushered into circular screened off areas, by gender, and strip searched in groups of about ten or so. There were "guards" within those areas and at the entrance and exits with submachine guns. Heck yes, I felt safe. I had no desire to be on an aircraft heading home with me being unarmed and a radical having a weapon or explosive device ! The American women being searched were screaming and calling the German women searching them all sorts of names. "We have Rights" and "You ARE NOT allowed to touch me there !" The Germans didn't particularly care at that point. My preference now is that the people carrying them are actually properly trained in their use !
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LTC Stephen C.
1LT Rich Voss, I'm sure they were carrying big guns prior to 1983. That was just my first trip to the FRG.
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SSgt Robert Marx
LTC Stephen C. - The Sinai deployment would be very interesting by being near some of the most incredible historical landmarks here on earth yet would be problematic by virtue of the instability in that area.
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I understand that weapons are merely the tools of law enforcement and soldiers worldwide. German Polizei walked around constantly with submachine guns while I lived over there in the 1980s-90s. As a police chief, I often carry a 12 gauge shotgun and a fully automatic M-4 rifle. It is a sign of the times concerning attacks of both terrorists and cop killers(who I consider to be domestic terrorists). I am not made nervous by the enhancement of the weapons carried by law enforcement but instead I am made hopeful that a better equipped police force will be better able to thwart violent criminal offenders attempting to exert their will and circle of influence over innocent citizens of this or any other country.
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LTC Stephen Conway
the militarization of police is good because they need to protect themselves. funny when you look back at the movie conquest of the Planet of the Apes the police of the future only have riot shields and revolvers.
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It's pot smoking anti military liberals in Canada who probably made the comments on the radio and newspaper.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Oh, you mean those draft dodgers who didn't have bone spurs and went on to have offspring.
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If it scares you, then you should live in a padded room, while being encased in bubble wrap cause... the world is scary.
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I was stationed in Germany from 1980-83 and again 1986-89 and the Polizei had sub machine guns in the Rhein Main Flughafen every time I traveled through. I felt safer than ever. Of course I was also at Ramstein when the bombs went off at HQ USAFE and the bombs at Rhein Main occurred just before my family and I were stationed there in 1986. Terrorism was very real at the time, although it was based on Marxism, it was nonetheless deadly. We need to revive some of the anti-terrorism techniques use in the 1980s to protect against the Islamist Terrorists of today.
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LTC Stephen Conway
Good story sir. I was just talking about the wussies of Canada. There are probably liberal wussies who complain about show Force today. I know we had the airport security after 9/11 for one whole year. I like how the Israeli airline has armed security behind the counter and they're not afraid to shoot terrorists like what happened in Los Angeles over a decade ago.
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1LT Rich Voss
Colonel - Yes, the "Red Guard" and Bader-Meinhof group were quite effective and deadly. I was stationed in Germany during the late 60's, but had family there during their bombings and other acts of terror. Not a great situation. Fortunately not as large or "effective" as the IRA. Without having "first-hand" knowledge of the German or British forces, hard to say which were more skilled in protecting their populace.
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