You agree to disagree that the Fox News article supports what I said?
Military vehicles and equipment taken from law enforcement across the country.
Excess military equipment was given to the police for free, under the 1033 program instituted by Bill Clinton in the 1990s. The police are militarized and it's a scary thing in America. It makes us occupied, basically. It changes the attitudes of the police that they're military instead of civilians to serve and protect. The rules of engagement are radically different between military and police. But the police are acting like military and the people are resisting.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...agencies-surplus-military-equipment/10286485/
A growing number of law enforcement agencies are taking advantage of a program that gives them free surplus military equipment left over from U.S. military campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
The Department of Defense's 1033 program, which Congress passed in 1997 to expand on a 1991 initiative, initially aimed to give surplus military equipment for police use in counter-narcotic and counter-terrorism situations.
Now, with the government giving away thousands of Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, weapons and more pedestrian items such as cars and clothing, even smaller police departments in cities and towns with low crime rates are acquiring items.
Let's be real here. I have NEVER seen a regular beat officer just driving around in a 10-ton armored vehicle for regular patrols. Never. They are specialized equipment for specialized roles/problems/tasks, and it takes a DANGEROUS situation for them to be deployed. Whether that's an armed man holed up in a house, or whether that's an active shooter in the middle of a city, like Dallas. In many cases, police employ those vehicles as a show of force towards the criminal element or suspects in question. The message is clear: you aren't going to win this, so surrender peacefully and comply. And most of the time, it works.
I think that the whole "militarized police" argument is blown grossly out of proportion. So besides MRAPs, what are other examples of "militarized police"? In the way they handle a suspect? Boo hoo...they're suspects for a reason. In the vests they wear? Bullshit; those things are VERY handy for a cop. I wore tactical suspenders as an armed officer for a security company, and they were greatly welcomed.
Most military work demands compliance, and police work is rarely different in that regard. And our police DON'T treat most people as if they're enemy soldiers in Afghanistan, and there's a huge difference from treating everyone as a potential enemy in a war zone, and asking for your license during a traffic stop.
What kind of society do you think we would have if criminals saw our police forces as weak? Have you seen what a weak police force is like in Mexico?
Obviously, no, we're not living in a war zone. But when the dangerous situation arises (and we've clearly seen these past two weeks that they can happen), what kind of officer do you want responding? The traffic warden on the corner in white gloves, or the guy who shows up with the proper equipment ready for a fight?
I know which one I'd rather have on my team.
And let's remember that the history of police work has evolved into these tactics and heavy equipment usage for a reason. As society continues to evolve, unfortunately so does the criminal element, as well as criminal tactics and violence. To expect police to, say, go back to the revolver days of the 1980s is just plain ridiculous.
I don't want the police to be less prepared to do their jobs. And, in my opinion, the government taking away a tool is one less tool that they have to keep them safe in a dangerous situation. I want them to show up, ready for action. They just need to have good communication, order, and calmness under pressure when they do.
Now, I think a better argument here other than "demilitarize the police" should be "How can we improve communication between the public and police officers?" Because better communication will drastically cut down on the number of times those heavy tactics will have to be employed.