What are your thoughts on “Militarizing the Police?”

When 'old school' shifted to 'old fool'

It changed due to the times. The snub nosed 38 or an old army 45 were guns of choice for crooks or the odd knife. Also many bad guys unles mentally deranged didn't murder everyone in the area. Now police have to deal with AK47s and guys looking for a thill. They up armored to stay alive. If you look at Cops killed in the line of duty in 1964 and now you can see the difference.

For me, it depends on their mission, location, and the crime base they're providing a police action for. Most likely, a small town police force will not require the same TO&E as a police force in a larger metropolitan city. Even then, the typical patrol officer shouldn't need the full gambit of weapons and equipment as the better trained and equipped special teams. It's not enough to simply equip the force with weapons. Proper training and accountability are essential.

I have several friends in law enforcement, and have had many conversations about this.
Military gear does not make the police like the military.
Now I do have to say that some federal and local angencies have been seen as using over the top tactics for what seems routine items.
If law enforcement agencies would relearn the art using the right amount of force for the situation then I do believe things would improve.

Unfortunately, we need to understand why the Police need the equipment they have, bottom line, they deserve the same right to come home safe at the end of the day as any other job

I think that the opportunity for various departments to obtain military surplus items is a good thing, and here is why. A nut job in our area, wounded an officer attempting a traffic stop. He then traveled to the next county further arming himself. As officers from several departments arrived to execute a warrant, two more officers were wounded as they approached the house. These two were able to take cover behind their cruisers. The state prison in that county activated their CERT team and arrived on the scene with a lightly armored tracked vehicle and were able to extract the wounded officers without loss of life or additional injuries. Against a barricaded gunman older military hardware is tough to beat. I'm glad there are programs available that enable departments to face a threat with equipment that can get the job done safely.

When I was a cop all but a few on the force were prior military. Where do you think cops come from? Here are the facts about militarization. My department got to the point where we needed our own tactical team. We had no money. We went to DRMO and got a old CUTV and armored car, uniforms boots, and kevlar helmets. All serviceable stuff that was going to be thrown away by the military if somebody didn't use it. What's better the price was right. $0.00. We also ended up with some older generation m-16s but I forgot how we got them. The money we saved went towards training. We weren't the Navy Seals (didn't have to be they had a training center 5 miles away) but we were good enough to hold our own. And if things got more serious we could contain a scene until the better trained and equipped state police got there which usually took about three hours.

All of the above options are viable. What really needs to be done, in my opinion, is to fix the education system in this country. We need ALL law enforcement agencies, local, state and federal to work together. They need to share intel. That is a possible long term solution. The problem will continue to exist between the way the system works now and if we implement these changes right now. Handling the situation in the interim is more complicated.

Not all law enforcement is militarizing. SWAT and HRT folks need the armament to go toe to toe during those high risk warrants or hostage situations.

TCOs and the Cartels on the border will eat your lunch if you go out there with a six shooter and no body armor.

Its is funny how quickly people forget history. Who remembers the LA shoot out? The officers were ill equipped and out gunned. They had to go to go to the local gun store and get high caliber rifles. They are receiving "TOOLS" to be used in times that are needed. As long as it is not abused i am ok with it. How bout when officers where not issued vest if they wanted them they had to buy them.