Quote:A quick google image search shows a multitude of police labeled military style vehicles many of witch have tracks. I am sure it's all photo shopped though.

 

I have the same definition as others. You know exactly what I mean, you just disagree with it hence your loaded question. Here you go anyways

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militarization_of_police

 

It wasn't a loaded question at all.

 

However, from your link your definition is this.  "Militarization of police involves the use of military equipment and tactics by non-military law enforcement officers, including the use of armored personnel carriers, assault rifles, submachine guns, sniper rifles, SWAT teams, intelligence agency-style information gathering aimed at the public and political activists, and a more aggressive style of policing".

 

Let's go through each one of these with some explanation.  I will note, that I am a former police officer and a military veteran, so my comments are based on actual experience.

 

1. Regarding "military equipment and tactics".  - When I served in the Sheriff's Department quite a few years ago (1986ish) we used to go train and learn tactics from the military trainers on an Air Force base using their facilities.  The instructors that we had were the same ones that trained military police.
   
2. Regarding "armored personnel carriers". - I have no problem with police being transported to an area where violence is occurring under cover.  Imagine going into a riot situation.  You don't want to go there in a regular police car, and you don't have the capacity to place more numbers of police officers in the area.
   
3. "Assault Rifles" - This goes back to the definition of "assault rifle".  Is it because the stock and style of grip "looks" like a military weapon?  Is it because a rifle or shotgun used has a "pistol" style grip?  That kind of weaponry has been used for years by many police departments.  Why is it now a "problem"?
   
4. "Submachine guns" - Show me a credible source where any law enforcement agency uses this kind of weaponry.  At the very most, law enforcement uses semi-automatic rifles and/or hand guns.
   
5. SWAT Teams - These have been in place for several years dating back to at least the 1970's or probably earlier.  They are made up of officers that go through additional training (see point #1 above) to assess and combat unique threats.  When I served they were called the ERT (Emergency Response Team).
   
6. "Intelligence style of gathering information" - I left out the part regarding "the public or political activists" from your definition.  Police departments don't pursue information based on politics and they don't gather data on the general public period.  However, they do gather intelligence based on the area and people involved.  I used to gather "intelligence" from people regarding certain gang activity in some of the neighborhoods that I patrolled.
   

So after all of that, please tell me why we should "de-militarize" the police.

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