Great perspective about the "militarization" of our police

[Texan2]

Police militarization and one cop's humble opinion

 

[Mic]

Interesting read. Thanks.

 

[OIF2]

Good read...thanks.
Bob

 

[txinvestigator]

No, cops should not be allowed anything the military has, or Joe Blow forum member cannot have. Nada.

 

[Texan2]

Read the last line in the article. Cant count how many times I have said that very thing.

 

[majormadmax]

The police should never be outgunned by the criminal element!

 

[Jeffrey]

The police should never be outgunned by the criminal element!

The Citizens should NEVER be out-gunned by the police.

 

[Texan2]

APCs are a good example of the hypocrisy.
They are used as cover for officers or to fetch injured people from harms way. They dont have a 105mm gun mounted on them and I cant find a story in which they were used as an offensive weapon. They deliveer people to a destination without the fear of getting shot. But man...they LOOK scary.

Kinda like ARs and AKs look scary....probably should ban those too, right???

 

[Texan2]

The Citizens should NEVER be out-gunned by the police.

As long as you have the funds, you aren't. You can buy full auto weapons. You can buy a helicoptor, you can buy a Crown Vic, a helmet, a Reminton 700, body armor, an armored vehicle.....if you have the funds you can buy whatever the cops have.

 

[Younggun]

All too often, accusations of “militarization” are based more on perception than facts (how police “look” instead of what they actually do)

Change "police" to "guns" and see if it sounds familiar.

 

[vmax]

the citizens should never be out-gunned by the police.

x100

 

[Younggun]

As long as you have the funds, you aren't. You can buy full auto weapons. You can buy a helicoptor, you can buy a Crown Vic, a helmet, a Reminton 700, body armor, an armored vehicle.....if you have the funds you can buy whatever the cops have.

Yup, and it ain't the cops fault an M-16 costs $35,000. Hopefully that will change someday though.

 

[Texan2]

Change "police" to "guns" and see if it sounds familiar.

see post 8

 

[Younggun]

Serious question.


How many LE agencies actually have full auto weapons. I know SWAT can have some high end gear but most local police and state AFAIK have AR-15s. Bushmasters from what I've seen, and not anything special. I would prefer a different manufacturer if it were me.

So seems that I am probably better armed than most LE out there.

 

[Younggun]

see post 8

Kinda scanning posts. Phone screen got busted pretty good today so catching everything is tough b

 

[Texan2]

Kinda scanning posts. Phone screen got busted pretty good today so catching everything is tough b

Gotcha.
FA firearms are NOT commonplace among regular patrol officers. They don't have a real practical application. Some rural agencies, or agencies with very proficient shooters or specialized units have them. If I were to make an educated guess? 1%-2% of police officers have access to FA weapons.

I don't see the real draw to them, for LE or anyone else. Once you shot them a few times the novelty wears off and now you have an expensive noisemaker. I have one issed to me, but if another officer had a valid reason to have it issued to him, I would gladly give it to him.

Don't misunderstand me, I do think the public SHOULD be able to purchase them. I simply believe most FA purchases are testosterone induced. Not purchased out of a logical need for the weapon.

 

[majormadmax]

The Citizens should NEVER be out-gunned by the police.

OK, hot shot, explain to me why? There is nothing in the Constitution that says that, nor is it a law anywhere.

And, if you pay attention to the law enforcement officers on here, armed law-abiding citizens are of no concern of the police. Go find the poll Texan2 posted where the majority of them are against increased laws that affect law-abiding gun owners.

So based on those facts, why are you so concerned with how well armed the police are? Unless you are a criminal, they are no threat to you; and to the criminals they are a threat to, I want them to be the biggest threat possible.

I find it ironic that people complain about how well armed the police are, but feel they have the right to own any firearm they want...

 

[caleb7]

Though guilty of often using the term 'police state' myself, its always been in reference to further encroachment of our freedoms by our lawmakers, never in reference to the equipment or tactics used by law enforcement.

Great read by the way.

"Speak softly and carry a big stick!" ~ Theodore Roosevelt

 

[benenglish]

...I cant find a story in which they were used as an offensive weapon.

IIRC, when LAPD got their first APC some numbnuts got the inspiration to put a giant steel pole on the front, tipped with a large steel plate. They used it as a battering ram to enter crack houses. Again going just from memory, they managed to screw up a few times and knock down whole walls and partially collapse buildings, causing a number of unnecessary civilian casualties.

I'll do some googling and see if I can come up with any relevant links. Who knows? Maybe I'm remembering some nonsense out of Sheriff Joe A's jurisdiction.

 

[Texan2]

IIRC, when LAPD got their first APC some numbnuts got the inspiration to put a giant steel pole on the front, tipped with a large steel plate. They used it as a battering ram to enter crack houses. Again going just from memory, they managed to screw up a few times and knock down whole walls and partially collapse buildings, causing a number of unnecessary civilian casualties.

I'll do some googling and see if I can come up with any relevant links. Who knows? Maybe I'm remembering some nonsense out of Sheriff Joe A's jurisdiction.

There would be situations where that would be the best way in. Would have to know the totality of the the circumstances.

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