Posted on Aug 16, 2014
Militarizing the Police - Why? Does it Accomplish Anything?
11.4K
19
27
1
1
0
There have been a string of articles, some written before the Ferguson, MO debacle, questioning the way our police forces are getting to resemble a military occupying force (and a brutal one, at that). Some of this criticism goes at least back to the '60s when many urbanites complained that the police acted like occupiers, not protectors. This is the first article in what I see as a somewhat coherent chain over the last several weeks: http://taskandpurpose.com/military-right-americas-police-getting-wrong/
Police
Politics
Law Enforcement
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 15
The police are occupiers. They occupy the city or town they work in. That is their job. they get assigned a district and they stay there for their shift. I don't think you have to look any further than the riots in Baltimore and Ferguson to see why this is happening. They would be better off sending in the National Guard to deal with that.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Are Police Forces Excessively Armed?
Are police departments too heavily armed? Should law enforcement agencies receive surplus military property for everyday policing in cities and neighborhoods?
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Here is what I see as the next article in this string: http://taskandpurpose.com/ferguson-little-boys-get-big-guns/
Ferguson: Where Little Boys Get Big Guns
The militant police actions in this Missouri suburb are dangerous and out of hand.
(0)
(0)
PO3 Jonathan Cooper
Senior, this article I think points out a bigger issue that's not being talked about here. It's not just the issue of gear, it's the difference of training and mentality. Of all the members of the LE community that I've met, and talked to, they're trained for keeping the peace and de-escalating the situation, not for facing an semi-equally armed adversary. But it seems that too many police forces now are trying to act like they're in a Michael Bay film, or like they want to end up on the next episode of Cops.
(1)
(0)
SCPO (Join to see)
Exactly ET2! We have some police forces deciding to treat people in our own country more like an occupying army (and a brutal one at that) than a police force that aims to not only enforce the law, but also create a society where fewer people want to break the law.
(0)
(0)
PO1 (Join to see)
Education in my opinion would be one of the best remedies in order to contribute to the overall societal well being, and in dire need of overhaul. Having the highest per capita incarceration ratio in the world, I believe directly contributes to lack of education and lack of parental discipline. Almost like a generational curse in too many parts of the country!
(1)
(0)
0
0
0
Since there seems to be a majority attitude of supporting the 2nd amendment with no restrictions on the "right to bear arms" then police need to be able to put down the equivalent of an armed insurrection - especially in the large metropolises where criminal organizations and drug enterprises seem to have as much if not more firepower than law enforcement. Since the use of federal troops as police is negated by posse comitatus and the NG needs a declared state of emergency to be deployed what choice is there than to have para-military forces within law enforcement.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Police forces today fall into two categories when these things happen. Either units themselves are not training enough/ think they are above the law or their leadership is becoming to lax in repercussions of incidents.
In my opinion this is more than just a police force issue. All across the board in America there is a lack of professionalism in everything we do. The great majority of people today are simply trying to get through the day as fast as possible so that they can get home and watch Netflix. If they find themselves in a situation where they can go above and beyond making something better or fixing something before it becomes an issue they walk away.
And what makes it worse is that (just like this response) everyone likes to point out issues without viable solutions or taking an active part in solving them themselves...
In my opinion this is more than just a police force issue. All across the board in America there is a lack of professionalism in everything we do. The great majority of people today are simply trying to get through the day as fast as possible so that they can get home and watch Netflix. If they find themselves in a situation where they can go above and beyond making something better or fixing something before it becomes an issue they walk away.
And what makes it worse is that (just like this response) everyone likes to point out issues without viable solutions or taking an active part in solving them themselves...
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google