What are your thoughts on “Militarizing the Police?”

Well, unless we want AD military or the National Guard patrolling our streets, then the police need to adapt to the threats that they can potentially face. With our Hemorrhaging southern border, those threats are only going to get worse.

Hard to say, two totally different "missions".


Army: "The Army’s mission is to fight and win our Nation’s wars by providing prompt, sustained land dominance across the full range of military operations and spectrum of conflict in support of combatant commanders."




Police: "The MISSION of the New York City Police Department is to enhance the quality of life in our City by working in partnership with the community and in accordance with constitutional rights to enforce the laws, preserve the peace, reduce fear, and provide for a safe environment."

There are many provisions in our constitution and subsequent laws to protect the people from the Army.

Now we have forces in our communities that are armies in all but name.

The practice of circumventing the law bothers me.

SSG Matthew Howell - I see your points. I do think that the Governors should be leaders on this issue and train their National Guards in Expeditionary Force / QRF tactics for terror and mass casualty situations. Howevwr, until these Governors step up, I think (sadly) we will continue to see and need a more militarized Police Forces in our Municipalities.

You just don't know what the threat will be.

I am kind of split on this. Police need this kind of equipment to deal with thing like that. However that equipment keeps them away from the people that they are protecting. I think that states and local police need to take some time and find the right balance. Like this may be used for special unites and not by the average officer. But there is a need for it in some places. I dont think that there is one answer for everywhere. like LAPD will be different then a small county sheriff.

Look, this isn't "perceived". The issue really lies on what training the police get with regard to military level weaponery and equipment.
There will always be the occasional issue with escalation by the criminals/law breakers (I'm specifically thinking of an incident in LA involving assault rifles and body armor by robbers), but that's far and few between. The reason why any special police unit screens their personnel is to make sure they get the best and brightest. Most cops do not get the best training for even riot control situations.
What really need to happen is either better deadly force training for police. Or better FUBAR training for worst case senarios.

The Militarization of police forces in our various levels of government is clearly out of control. First of all, read the Constitution, and then point out the lines in our Constitution that allows for the dozens of Federal law enforcement agencies.

After one comes up empty on that, one has to ask why it is necessary for Federal, State, and Local police agencies to be breaking down doors for a "war on drugs", that has proved to be totally ineffectual. Anyone that wants drugs can get drugs, whether or not they are illegal. Foreign, or Domestic producers are able to distribute said drugs, whether legal or not. Additionally, it is rarely the kingpins, or big distributors who end up in jail following these raids. Typically it is the low dealers who end up getting arrested, while the higher-ups are able to afford better attorneys to secure their release.

The Constitution doesn't allow for Federal police forces with the possible exception of a border patrol, or a Treasury police, (as the Federal government is Constitutionally tasked both with border security, AND with prosecuting Counterfeiters. Beyond that our State, and Local police forces should be focused on tracking perpetrators of crimes of violence, and enforcing civil law.

As Madison told us... “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation and foreign commerce. ... The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives and liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the State.”

Sir, all of those answers fit for me...but emphatically, if criminals can have better weapons, and not afraid to carry and use them. Our Police should do the same. I sense a growing disent in our population, I can't really say it is a economic, social, or loss of freedom that is feeding this, but whatever it is, DHS, and Homeland Security is scared and preparing for the worse. I keep prepping, preparing, and storing supplies, I just hope I can bug-out fast enough. I do not want to be in the middle when the THSTF. There is a scene in the movie, 'HEAT', where the criminals (bank robbers) are using an Aussie peeling technique (falling back) and laying down suppressive fire while retreating, this is only a move I said to myself, but even in tall tales, there is some truth, and if I was an officer, I would be wishing I had CAS, Indirect fire, and Mortars. I do thin having a lot of prior military in the police force can be a good thing, and is probably playing a role kin why there is a 'fascination' if you want to call it that with military weapons. Once you see the big bad world, you don't want to go back to the sandbox.