Obama announces restrictions on distribution of military-style equipment to police.
Not only is the idea of the police being equipped with military weapons scary to a lot of people, but in many cases they have no training on how to use that same equipment.
Plus, when they dress and act like
Really, how does an MRAP aid in door to door searches (likely illegal anyway) for a bombing suspect, or for that mater any police activity? Why do the police need Grenade Launchers? Camouflage uniforms? While thre is some (very small) overlap in the tools that soldiers use and that which police use, it is very small. THe mission of policing is NOT that of soldiers occupying a country or region. The mission of a soldier is to break things that the enemy has until they surrender. The mission of the police is to keep the peace and protect the citizens from crime.
Different missions, different job. Different tools. Just because the DOD has a surplus doesn't mean that they should be given to the police....
I think the police departments that have armed themselves with MRAPs, M2 machine guns and Grenade Launchers have lost sight of their missions, are afraid of the populations they police, or are wannabe soldiers.
I think Barry got this one right.
7 comments:
Can you show us a police department that has an M2 .50 cal. machine gun?
And grenade launchers are commonly used to put tear gas and/or less-lethal projectiles into barricade scenes and riots. I have no issue there.
This is one of those instances when the Alex Jones wing gets everyone's paranoia kicked into the red zone for no real reason.
Actually, they are (generally) different grenades. Different caliber, different projectile.
Nearly any surplus DOD hardware is there for the (creative) writing of a grant request.
WTF is it with you lately? Seriously.
I see no reason why the local PO-PO needs an M-16 either. Ar's? Yeah, no problem. IN some instances maybe an old Huey. Or a nightscope. Maybe some boots. Maybe even a humvee for tough terrain or floods...But the rest? Nope. No need.
"WTF is it with you lately? Seriously. "
He's right on this one. True fact.
Really, Tam? The local cops need M-16's? MRAPs? Grenade launchers?
Maybe not 50 cal Brownings (although they were available at one time, Lake Country tried to get one....I saw the grant request) but the rest?
I'd seriously like for the two of you to explain where I am wrong. Be simple, I get confused easily...
Have you any instances of police officers acting inappropriately with "M16s" and hosing people down with full-auto fire? Again, I'm not seeing a problem here. In today's climate, every street officer needs a patrol rifle and these rifles are cheaper than buying new. Many of the agencies that have obtained them under this program remove the full-auto features of the rifle anyway.
As for the grendae launchers, 40mm tear gas and less-lether rounds ARE available to law-enforcement agencies and again, I'm not seeing any evidence of abuse here. Do you know something we don't?
MRAPS...I think that Baltimore just showed the world why police might want armored vehicles. There are often innocent people in these riot-torn areas who need rescuing, you know. Or do they just not matter?
In sum, I think that you've let Alex Jones get you all worked up over nothing. And Obama didn't do this because it's what "the people" of this country wanted--he did it to earn props from HIS people, and there's a big difference there.
Personally, I, as an American, like to see the federal government's monopoly on power weakened by disbursing sas much of it as possible to state and local agencies that answer to their own citizens and not to one all-powerful president. Personally I trust my local sheriff in bad times more than I do some guy in Washington, DC who has spent the last six year declaring that he doesn't care what anyone other than his followers and donors wants. But that's just me, I guess.
A most lawyer like response. not much substance, but a lot of words.
Nice failure to, you know, answer anything.
Where do you get "Alex Jones"? O linked Fox News.
I generally dismiss Alex as a bit too crazy.
Oh, I'm sorry. Was there a question there for me somewhere?
Actually, I think that I just covered possible need for these items and now I'm waiting for something from you giving a good reason for your opposition. Has there been actual misuse or abuse of these items or do you just want to see all actual police power concentrated in the hands of the fed? I'm really curious here.
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