Yes I do think that the Dept of Homeland Security buying millions and millions of rounds is a bit sketchy, but I think it has more to do with driving the price up and making ammo harder to get than it does arming a domestic army.

 

But as someone that has been around Law Enforcement off and on my entire life I do support anything and everything that makes the job they do safer and easier.

As do I, within reason.

As myself, JD and HB have all implied, they're being armed with the same type of weapons that any law abiding citizen can legally obtain. So essentially what they're trying to do is LEVEL the playing field so that they are not put in a position that they may be out gunned by a guy that just dropped a few grand at Dick's sporting goods store. AGAIN these officers aren't regularly patrolling the streets with these weapons or gear but it is available if they need to respond to special circumstances.

 

No one is saying that the situations you've mentioned aren't concerning or that they shouldn't be scrutinized, but to try to use rare examples that aren't at all common as a means to proclaim that local law enforcement is out of control is a bit of a stretch.

The problem is the troubling events are increasing and the government is getting more and more power. If we don't voice concerns before it's too late, we could end up living in a police state just for safety sake. And thinking that's never going to happen in the US is one of the reasons the event numbers are increasing.

The problem is the troubling events are increasing and the government is getting more and more power. If we don't voice concerns before it's too late, we could end up living in a police state just for safety sake. And thinking that's never going to happen in the US is one of the reasons the event numbers are increasing.

 

Ok RTS if they're increasing where are the numbers to support that claim? Are the incidents really increasing or is the coverage/access through the internet and social media allowing people to hear about it more frequently/easily?

Ok RTS if they're increasing where are the numbers to support that claim? Are the incidents really increasing or is the coverage/access through the internet and social media allowing people to hear about it more frequently/easily?

The news reports of them alone are on the rise. I sure never heard of them in the numbers I do now. Police mistakes, yes. SWAT called in for stupid reasons, no.

 

As to you question, I found this: Nashville based Radley Balko, formerly a policy analyst with the Cato Institute, now a Huffington Post senior writer, and Dr. Peter Kraska, of the University of Eastern Kentucky, point to skyrocketing increases in door kicks. They count about 3,000 SWAT-style raids nationwide in 1980. By 2006, the number reached 50,000, and extrapolates to 70,000, possibly 80,000, by 2011.

 

There have been a lot of botched SWAT raids in those stats.

I found a FREE PDF BOOK BY RADLEY BALKO

“Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America”

 

I'll admit I haven't read it, but when I have time I will. Feel free to check it out and debate it.

I haven't read the article but police forces with these items worry me less than the citizen-police and paramilitary types that so.

The news reports of them alone are on the rise. I sure never heard of them in the numbers I do now. Police mistakes, yes. SWAT called in for stupid reasons, no.

 

As to you question, I found this: Nashville based Radley Balko, formerly a policy analyst with the Cato Institute, now a Huffington Post senior writer, and Dr. Peter Kraska, of the University of Eastern Kentucky, point to skyrocketing increases in door kicks. They count about 3,000 SWAT-style raids nationwide in 1980. By 2006, the number reached 50,000, and extrapolates to 70,000, possibly 80,000, by 2011.

 

There have been a lot of botched SWAT raids in those stats.

 

 

And just as I thought, it looks likely that a lot of those could be related to the War on Drugs, look at the increase in incarceration numbers during that same time span.

I haven't read the article but police forces with these items worry me less than the citizen-police and paramilitary types that so.

No one is surprised by that. :lol2:

I wonder if you'll feel that way if you're one of the "lucky" ones that get raided by mistake and treated they way some of them were.

 

I support law enforcement, but some of the things going on and the power they have are, as I said, worrisome.

And there have been cases like a SWAT team raiding the home of an innocent guy' date=' accusing him of downloading child porn because the guy had an open wireless router or where an animal shelter was rehabilitating an injured baby deer so they responded with surveillance, aerial photos and a SWAT team. How about where a SWAT team raids a house at 6 AM and handcuffs the father of three young kids to execute a Dept. of Education search warrant for his estranged wife's defaulted student loans? Trust me, there's more like these. It's over the top and I'm not sure why it's come to this.[/quote']

 

The two examples are very rare and if you don't mind id love to see unbiased reports on those two cases before I pass judgement.

 

Many times police base their "raids" on what informants tell them and most of the time those raids are accompanied by a search warrant signed by a judge.

And just as I thought, it looks likely that a lot of those could be related to the War on Drugs, look at the increase in incarceration numbers during that same time span.

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Yes, without a doubt, but the raids are happening for non-drug reasons as well. I posted several of them and there are many more out there. That's the problem. Also, drug raids have been happening for small time offenders.

The two examples are very rare and if you don't mind id love to see unbiased reports on those two cases before I pass judgement.

 

Many times police base their "raids" on what informants tell them and most of the time those raids are accompanied by a search warrant signed by a judge.

Feel free to Google away. They're becoming less rare.

 

I'm not talking so much about the guns they have, it's the things they're doing.

 

I think your gripe belongs in a different thread then honestly.

 

There are certain levels of probable cause needed for search warrants and to enter a residence. Those search warrants are signed by a judge, so there are many people at fault when one goes wrong.

 

With that said there different kinds reasons for one to go badly but I don't think I've ever heard of one where the police pick someone out of a phone book and decide to harass them for no reason whatsoever.

 

No knock warrants and Military weapons.

 

What military weapons? Rifles? What examples of no knock warrants do you have?

 

When you have nothing to say mock. These are legitimate concerns. I'm tired of the argument of the police can do no wrong. I find it sad someone felt the need to mock me and also a former Colonel in the Marines.

 

Who said the police can do no wrong? I'd love to see who said that.

 

Umm. I don't want local law enforcement to have drones. And I definitely don't want them having any weapons that an ordinary citizen like myself couldn't have.

 

How many police departments would you say have drones ?