ACLU Launches Nationwide Police Militarization Investigation

[LowBb]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/06/aclu-police-militarization-swat_n_2813334.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

Interesting article about the rise of SWAT teams and other military police. I'm not sure yet what to make of this so I'm hoping to hear from some smarter than me members. That should be easy

I know I have been reading posts here about Obama and his army in America. We have been talking about the drone strikes on American soil. This article sort of conforms our worries, at least, toward the end, it talks about the massive jump in funding our police departments have recently received. This may even shine some light on the drop from Glocks to Sigs.

Maybe I just need my foil hat, but there are puzzle pieces in front of us. Edited March 7, 2013 by LowBb

[Garufa]

It's about time.  Believe it or not the ACLU can actually be on your side...sometimes.

 

The way police forces across this nation have been building up really needs to be addressed.

[LowBb]

That's what I'm thinking too.

[DaveTN]

They aren’t on our side. Of course they don’t want SWAT or Officers having military weapons; they don’t want you to have them, and they don’t want you to have the valid argument that the cops have them.

This isn’t rocket science. The economy is getting worse. The worse it gets; the more cops the cities will need. It has nothing to do with Obama.

 

[Guest 6.8 AR]

The ACLU has been on the right side of the argument several times, but I seriously doubt they will be much more

than a mouse against a lion with this administration. They are, however, decidedly liberal in the end.

 

It's alright, though. I would happily be wrong on this.

[LowBb]

They aren’t on our side. Of course they don’t want SWAT or Officers having military weapons; they don’t want you to have them, and they don’t want you to have the valid argument that the cops have them.
This isn’t rocket science. The economy is getting worse. The worse it gets; the more cops the cities will need. It has nothing to do with Obama.

With all due respect, the article is a study on SWAT team and other military police increase in activity and legality. It also states:

The George W. Bush administration actually began scaling down the Byrne and COPS programs in the early 2000s, part of a general strategy of leaving law enforcement to states and localities. But the Obama administration has since resurrected both programs. The Byrne program got a $2 billion surge in funding as part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, by far the largest budget in the program's 25-year history. Obama also gave the COPS program $1.55 billion that same year, a 250 percent increase over its 2008 budget, and again the largest budget in the program's history. Vice President Joe Biden had championed both programs during his time in the Senate.

[mav]

Yep, sometimes the ACLU is right on an issue, and this is one of those cases.  I have absolutely nothing against police officers, but I really don't understand why they need all of this military hardware, which includes drones.  It is certainly not for my protection since the police really can't protect me anyway.  I think that us every day law abiding citizens would be much better off and have more protection if we were allowed to purchase surplus military hardware instead of creating or expanding SWAT programs.  While I feel pretty safe with the equipment I have, it would only increase if I had a MK48 in my possession.

[TMF]

While I feel pretty safe with the equipment I have, it would only increase if I had a MK48 in my possession.

Yes, but you would go broke shooting it.

[Guest 556or762]

Mmmmm. A HET to drive to the grocery store would be sweet too.

[dlm37015]

its more than hardware look at how policemen are starting to wear bdus. i remember when policemen wore neckties and shinny shoes i dont think the avrage ploiceman on the street needs combat gear or at least wearing it .they usually get someplace too late to do anything

[LowBb]

IMHO. We pay taxes for some services. One of the services our tax dollars is allocated for is a police force. Why has the government increased the police force budget in one year by 250 percent? Is it to keep America safe? Is it that heavy out there?

This climate makes me want ammo. Why can't I get any? Edited March 7, 2013 by LowBb

[Guest 556or762]

The police are there to clean up the mess and try to figure out what happened and who's to blame after they finally arrive on scene. The idea of "To Serve and Protect" seems flawed to me, I don't know about anybody else but I have never had a police body guard. It seems the original intent of policing a people and the fact that having a police force was a deterrent to crime has all but disappeared. A great man once said "when we become piled upon each other in large cities as in Europe we will become as corrupt as Europe". It seems pretty clear just by the statistics that a police force is only a deterrent to crime when it is visible and widely known to the people that "sheriff Doe will lock you up if you do that". I do think that there is a role for modern day police departments to fill however it also is apparent to me that for protection you will more than likely have to rely on yourself to cancel any immediate threat. Just my two cents on police(don't tell my friends at MPD and RCSO).

[gregintenn]

its more than hardware look at how policemen are starting to wear bdus. i remember when policemen wore neckties and shinny shoes i dont think the avrage ploiceman on the street needs combat gear or at least wearing it .they usually get someplace too late to do anything

 

In my lifetime, I've noticed a sharp contrast in attitude among them as well.

[Smokin45]

In my lifetime, I've noticed a sharp contrast in attitude among them as well.

I'll agree to that.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

It ain't the old police man on the corner I used to look up to. I'm glad I know a few, personally, who don't fit this trend.

[gregintenn]

I've wondered for years why the American Civil Liberties Union hasn't been screaming about gun control. To me it is definitely a civil liberty issue. At least now, I can feel they are on my side for something.

[Randall53]

It seems that everybody is moving UP the food chain except natural born American citizens who are being herded into feed lots.  That's my observation and I'm stick'n too it

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I've wondered for years why the American Civil Liberties Union hasn't been screaming about gun control. To me it is definitely a civil liberty issue. At least now, I can feel they are on my side for something.

The trouble with the ACLU is they are on your side and not on your side at the same time on a lot of issues. I worry

about how this administration could be using them to play poker with us. I know that is cynical, but my trust of either

is at all time lows. And, also, where the article came from, HuffPo. That place automatically makes me suspect of the

written word when they are the editors.

[JayC]

Yes the economy is not doing well, but how do you explain that crime is at an all time low?  And it would go a lot lower if we'd get rid of the war on drugs.

 

Cities that have reduced the number of police officers have not seen an increase in violent crime.

 

SWAT teams are largely used to serve warrants on non-violent offenses now, instead of what they were designed to do 30 years ago.

 

And why exactly does a police department need automatic rifles and an APC?

 

Frankly we could cut the police department in half, do away with unconstitutional laws and prohibitions and the vasdt majority of us wouldn't notice the difference.

 

They aren’t on our side. Of course they don’t want SWAT or Officers having military weapons; they don’t want you to have them, and they don’t want you to have the valid argument that the cops have them.

This isn’t rocket science. The economy is getting worse. The worse it gets; the more cops the cities will need. It has nothing to do with Obama.

Edited March 8, 2013 by JayC

[Guest 556or762]

Well need those cops when the checks stop coming, a certain voting class will riot in the streets when they baby mama caint get no free stuff.

[Garufa]

Well need those cops when the checks stop coming, a certain voting class will riot in the streets when they baby mama caint get no free stuff.

 

You think the cops are going to stand up to that?  :lol:

[Chucktshoes]

You think the cops are going to stand up to that? :lol:

I know right? If that happens, you're on your own.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

When the EBT card quits working... cops won't matter.

[JayC]

And you don't think the cops won't be among those that riot?  They're part of the problem (budget wise).  Look again at police and fire unions.

 

Well need those cops when the checks stop coming, a certain voting class will riot in the streets when they baby mama caint get no free stuff.

 

[TMF]

I know right? If that happens, you're on your own.

New Orleans.