I agree 100% with you on this, I don't think any group outside of regular law enforcement needs to be armed like that. My defense on this subject is 100% of local law enforcement.

 

Agreed. I think if those agencies needed that kind of fire power they should request help from another outside department.

 

I don't know. It's not the point. You are acting as if we should give them the same tools as we would a counter-terrorism unit to make their jobs safer and easier.

 

But for starters, I would be against this: Concord Stops Its Police Chief From Buying a Ridiculous Military Vehicle - Mike Riggs - The Atlantic Cities

 

I used to live in Concord for a short while. Glad to see they're stopping this. The military guy isn't some kook and is probably upset he spends his time fighting in the middle east and comes back realizing "oh wow. I was supposed to be fighting for our liberties, but I come back and our police chiefs are trying to patrol Concord like I patrolled Iraq?" Yeah, probably a little upset.

 

Who said the chief was going to use that vehicle to patrol?

How many police departments would you say have drones ?

 

He can't say, he's being watched......:eyeonyou:

Let's just put our military in each city to patrol. But we need to call them a different name. That way we can't say its the army or marines conducting operations on US soil. But they'd have the same tools and treat every city like a possible terrorist hot-spot.

 

When the heck have the police ever patrolled a city in full swat gear with armored trucks ? The Boston marathon attack?? Did you see the people of boston afterwards? They were lined up down the streets cheering the police for their efforts. I've never seen anything like it.

 

I guess you'd rather have Andy Griffith chasing the bombers dodging pipe bombs along the way?

 

Aside from that, when have the police used swat teams and armored trucks for every day police work i.e. patrolling the streets?

 

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.

 

Agreed.

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' date=' 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.[/quote']

 

Are they increasing or are they being reported more?

When the heck have the police ever patrolled a city in full swat gear with armored trucks ? The Boston marathon attack?? Did you see the people of boston afterwards? They were lined up down the streets cheering the police for their efforts. I've never seen anything like it.

 

I guess you'd rather have Andy Griffith chasing the bombers dodging pipe bombs along the way?

 

Aside from that, when have the police used swat teams and armored trucks for every day police work i.e. patrolling the streets?

 

[Queue response about "You see....the American people are brainwashed already!"]

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.

I never claimed they pick them out of the phone book and decide to harass them for no reason. I'm saying tactical teams are sometimes showing up for reasons they never used to, like to serve a warrant for defaulted student loans and I don't see the reason to now.

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.

 

Id say (and this is a guess) you are about as likely to be struck by lighting as you are to be victimized by a botched police "raid".

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

 

You brought them into the conversation. If you expect me to take interest you should back up your posts with information.

I never claimed they pick them out of the phone book and decide to harass them for no reason. I'm saying tactical teams are sometimes showing up for reasons they never used to' date=' like to serve a warrant for defaulted student loans and I don't see the reason to now.[/quote']

 

Hard for me to discuss this situation since you refuse to provide any links about it. On my phone so I ain't gonna look.

Are they increasing or are they being reported more?

Increasing. Drugs are the main reason and sometimes it's over-kill. Not always, but sometimes.

You brought them into the conversation. If you expect me to take interest you should back up your posts with information.

I posted some, if you want more I'm not doing the work for you, :lol2:

Increasing. Drugs are the main reason and sometimes it's over-kill. Not always' date=' but sometimes.[/quote']

 

I agree sometimes the police mess up. Is that really news? Police are people after all.

I posted some' date=' if you want more I'm not doing the work for you, :lol2:[/quote']

 

I didn't see any links, what are you talking about?