US police departments are increasingly militarised, finds report

[TheIrishman]

US police departments are increasingly militarised, finds report

http://www.theguardian.com/law/2014/jun/24/military-us-police-swat-teams-raids-aclu

<< ACLU cites soaring use of war zone equipment and tactics. Swat teams increasingly deployed in local police raids. Seven civilians killed and 46 injured in incidents since 2010. >>

[bitsmichel]

Looks like a SWAT team. If you look closely the guys are carrying machine guns, a pistol and some other weapons.
I'm rather surprised they come with a type of Humvee instead of a Tank 

[sana8410]

This is happening all over the world. Our own police regularly batter peoples doors in under the slenderest of pretexts. It just goes to show me that the police have gone from being protectors of us to protectors of the Government.
Where do they find these thugs who love to beat up their fellow citizens? We see them in Egypt, Turkey and anywhere else that the population try to exercise their rights. Even here with the police desire to kettle us all whether you are involved or not. Is there any redress? Not at all.
They say that like breeds like and I do know that there are some nasty people out there but to treat us all like that is an abomination. Whatever happened to the knock on the door? I had a great respect for the police when I was a lad but I am afraid they are doing themselves no favors.
Osama Bin Laden did more damage with his 9/11 attack than he could ever have imagined.

[Lethn]

This kind of thing is exactly why I'm on the side of the so called 'gun nuts' when it comes to gun control, how can people say with a straight face especially the U.S government that they aren't necessary and they aren't going to take them away when the police are stocking up on fucking machine guns and APCs lol

It's a bit like when Russians rolled into the Ukraine and we all knew who they were because of how shifty they looked and they said "We're not Russians *glance*" to be honest, at least the UK police aren't getting ready to gun us down yet so they seem to have at least some restraint.

[Rigon]

Many police departments love the war on drugs because they can steal peoples assets and get to use the money to pay salaries and buy more guns. That is a driver for the huge increase in the swat style raids.

[noviapriani]

This is happening all over the world. Our own police regularly batter peoples doors in under the slenderest of pretexts. It just goes to show me that the police have gone from being protectors of us to protectors of the Government.
Where do they find these thugs who love to beat up their fellow citizens? We see them in Egypt, Turkey and anywhere else that the population try to exercise their rights. Even here with the police desire to kettle us all whether you are involved or not. Is there any redress? Not at all.
They say that like breeds like and I do know that there are some nasty people out there but to treat us all like that is an abomination. Whatever happened to the knock on the door? I had a great respect for the police when I was a lad but I am afraid they are doing themselves no favors.
Osama Bin Laden did more damage with his 9/11 attack than he could ever have imagined.

Seems like 9/11 changed more than just International laws.. Now, even the citizens are considered a threat. Strange days indeed. Seeing how the US government always bangs on about how important it's citizens are and what they'll do to protect them, especially after 9/11....the sad thing is there are many who still think the government is protecting them.

[bitsmichel]

This is happening all over the world. Our own police regularly batter peoples doors in under the slenderest of pretexts. It just goes to show me that the police have gone from being protectors of us to protectors of the Government.
Where do they find these thugs who love to beat up their fellow citizens? We see them in Egypt, Turkey and anywhere else that the population try to exercise their rights. Even here with the police desire to kettle us all whether you are involved or not. Is there any redress? Not at all.
They say that like breeds like and I do know that there are some nasty people out there but to treat us all like that is an abomination. Whatever happened to the knock on the door? I had a great respect for the police when I was a lad but I am afraid they are doing themselves no favors.
Osama Bin Laden did more damage with his 9/11 attack than he could ever have imagined.

He who controls the money controls the people. Governments seem to increase military spending everywhere around the world.

Many police departments love the war on drugs because they can steal peoples assets and get to use the money to pay salaries and buy more guns. That is a driver for the huge increase in the swat style raids.

Sounds more like organized mafia to me

[spazzdla]

This is happening all over the world. Our own police regularly batter peoples doors in under the slenderest of pretexts. It just goes to show me that the police have gone from being protectors of us to protectors of the Government.
Where do they find these thugs who love to beat up their fellow citizens? We see them in Egypt, Turkey and anywhere else that the population try to exercise their rights. Even here with the police desire to kettle us all whether you are involved or not. Is there any redress? Not at all.
They say that like breeds like and I do know that there are some nasty people out there but to treat us all like that is an abomination. Whatever happened to the knock on the door? I had a great respect for the police when I was a lad but I am afraid they are doing themselves no favors.
Osama Bin Laden did more damage with his 9/11 attack than he could ever have imagined.

A man will a few million dollars launched an attack that would of cost trillions upon trillions to pull off?  I have issues with this idea.

I agree completely with the rest of what you said.. the media is also spining as many postive police stories as they can...  These things have me nervious.

[umair127]

You may ask, what kind of country would do these things to its own citizens? The answer is, the kind of country that engages in mass surveillance, has by far the largest per-capita prison population on the planet where tens-of-thousands of prisoners are kept in permanent solitary confinement, and in which being sassy to an airport homeland security goon will get you a rectal search as punishment – in short, a police state.

[RodeoX]

I find this disturbing. My father was a cop and he was also concerned about the militarization of the police. He would rant about how irrelevant military experience was. About how his gun was his least useful tool.
What about your pen, your people skills, or your radio? These are the tools a cop uses every day. If your a lucky cop, you'll never have to use your gun.

[zolace]

I seem to recall, and maybe it isn't true anymore, that drug dealer's asset seizures went directly into police budgets since the early nineties. A Bush/Clinton initiative. If asset forfeitures are used to buy weapons to target dealers to garner assets then it would be a perfect Public Choice Theory feedback loop in action.

[spazzdla]

You may ask, what kind of country would do these things to its own citizens? The answer is, the kind of country that engages in mass surveillance, has by far the largest per-capita prison population on the planet where tens-of-thousands of prisoners are kept in permanent solitary confinement, and in which being sassy to an airport homeland security goon will get you a rectal search as punishment – in short, a police state.

I fear they will solidify the police state idea very soon... 

[Chef Ramsay]

So much for the Posse Comitatus law of 1898 which forbids which forbids the use of the military on US soil. Militarizing the police is mostly their way around it. Just blend in til ya can get out.

[hologram]

Posse Comitatus law of 1898 which forbids which forbids the use of the military on US soil.

It was a great idea. I think in western we have forget what the great philosopher of the past wanted we remind, to take care of government and to keep it small. 20th century ideology was all about an enormous government, we need to get rid of them.

It's funny to see how big government fanboy do not support the logic militarization it need...

[Benjig]

As if the police weren't already powerful enough, and what happens over there will surely follow over here, sooner or later.
But what can you expect; we just don't have enough wars to keep the military-industrial complex happy so why not declare war on our own citizens.

[film2240]

This kind of thing is exactly why I'm on the side of the so called 'gun nuts' when it comes to gun control, how can people say with a straight face especially the U.S government that they aren't necessary and they aren't going to take them away when the police are stocking up on fucking machine guns and APCs lol

It's a bit like when Russians rolled into the Ukraine and we all knew who they were because of how shifty they looked and they said "We're not Russians *glance*" to be honest, at least the UK police aren't getting ready to gun us down yet so they seem to have at least some restraint.

The UK police in London are planning to use water cannons for future protests so I think that trend has now reached UK police (thankfully the police still don't have guns but that day will come sooner or later).I think if the police will adopt water cannons now,why not use guns next?I'm quite concerned about this development.

[Benjig]

And the thing that the US government wants to disarm US citizens doesnt smell good, if they are doing nothing wrong why they fear the citizens to have guns.

[commandrix]

I wonder how long it'll take before the redneck hippie gun-toting crowd simply decide to stage another American Civil War, and this time the South ain't gonna bring picnic baskets to watch the show. And they wonder why the normal, average American citizen still stands up for the Bill of Rights, especially the Second Amendment.

[Cicero2.0]

When police departments get millions of dollars for "homeland security" they tend to spend it on weapons. Add in the seizure of property and you get out of control law enforcement. 

[iopq]

And that is how we're getting stuff like this happening now:

"A SWAT team blew a hole in my 2-year-old son"
http://www.salon.com/2014/06/24/a_swat_team_blew_a_hole_in_my_2_year_old_son/