How did we get to the modern militarized police?

As somebody who has worked in law enforcement, civilian and military, for 30 plus years now, the change has been a gradual evolution that parallels an escalation of violence in society from the criminal element. My personal observation is that violent assaults against police officers; complexity of defenses established at drug houses; enhanced access to military grade weapons by criminals (generally stolen from legal owners or imported from outside the country), and the rise of both foreign and domestic terrorism has led to the need for a more robust police response. Law enforcement reacts to the threat in society, not creates it.

As somebody who has responded to more than my fair share of violent events (the most recent being last month - a drive by shooting involving drug dealers using SKS rifles - a total of two police officers in our little drug infested town along with three sheriff's deputies against two rival drug gangs); made 12 trips to emergency room for injuries sustained in the line of duty; and witnessed an increasingly violent criminal element arise in our country, the M4 in the front seat of my cruiser isn't militarization. It's a survival tool.

It's nice to think that Officer Friendly can walk along calling everybody on their beat by name, and that all disputes will be settled with a kind word; but the world doesn't work that way anymore. I liked it much more when as a rookie cop walking my little corner of the world everybody offered a kind word in return, but the world has changed in the last 30 years (and not for the better). I, and those like me, are increasingly the target of criminal aggression. There was a time when people would kill you to escape custody; now they will kill you just because you're a cop.

I would offer that while there are clearly misapplications of equipment and technique, the vast majority of law enforcement people are genuinely committed professionals just trying to do a good job. Unfortunately the one bad apple who finds his/her way to CNN makes us all look like cowboys. And to the uninformed and those not thoroughly educated about the dangerous realities of doing the job, it all looks like overkill.

And finally, the public has always wanted the police out of sight and out of mind until something really bad happens. Then there aren't enough of us and we didn't get three fast enough. Sounds jaded I'm sure, but maybe when society stops making war on its police, the police will be able to step back from the more robust posture required just to survive these days.

I don't blame them. The proliferation of assault weapons in our country has forced the police to respond in kind. It does no good to have to have a police force armed with six shooters when the average gang banger has an AK 47...

Offense and defense, an arms race as old as time...

The worse the criminals get, the more tools, tactics and training the police need in an effort to deter them, plain and simple. "Sir I've asked you 3 times now, NICELY, to put down the AK-47 with drum mag. I'm going to have to resort to harsh language next until you comply. Something out of the movie, "Demolition Man" might also be appropriate here, "Be Well them for me..."