I was reading THINK DEFENCE blog and got down to the comments section when when of his readers suggested this WIRED article.
Long story short. Blame the DoD for the militarization of the police departments all over the US. Instead of donating gear to allied nations that desperately need it (like the Philippines fighting terrorist on their islands...or even Malaysia that's doing the same).
What does this mean for the future? A bigger appetite for military grade hardware by police, a quicker shipment of that gear while the US military sheds equipment...a deadlier confrontations between police and citizens.
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ReplyDeleteIt is all too easy for criminals to get their hands on illegally owned firearms. Of course the current administration is too busy trying to take guns away from law abiding citizens to worry about the illegal arms trade, but that is a whole different matter. It's also too easy for criminals to get their hands on (or make their own) body armor capable of stopping pistol caliber ammunition. So police should have access to things like 5.56mm carbines and high quality body armor. With the exception of firing less-lethal and special-purpose ammunition, shotguns have generally been phased out in favor of patrol carbines, and there are good reasons for this move.
ReplyDeleteDo some departments go overboard? Yes. While it is understandable for large PDs to have a few armored cars (and surplus MRAPs or HMMWVs may well make sense from a cost standpoint), small towns don't need that sort of gear. Police should also stick to the traditional black and blue colors for the sake of recognition. The olive drab may be good for SWAT in some cases, but the camo goes overboard. While officers should have access to such "military grade" gear and be proficient with it, they shouldn't break it out for every minor incident either.
The Department of Homeland Security is far more foolishness than the occasional PD going overboard. Their role is best filled by other agencies such as the FBI. If police or SWAT can't handle a situation the FBI's special operations teams should be the experts ready to step in. Not this bloated DHS.