The Dangerous Militarization of Our Local Police Forces

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/mrap-maxx-and-militarization-our-local-police-forces




What a Christmas little Bastrop had! It's still a mystery how Santa Claus got it down the chimney, but Bastrop got a nifty present that most children could only dream about: A big honkin', steel-clad, war toy called MRAP.

But Bastrop is not a six-year-old child, and an MRAP is not a toy. Bastrop is a Texas county of some 75,000 people, and MRAP stands for "Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected." It's a heavily-armored military vehicle weighing about 15 tons — one of several versions of fighting machines that have become the hot, must-have playthings of police departments all across the country.

Are the good people of Bastrop facing some imminent terrorist threat that warrants military equipment? No, it's a very pleasant, laid-back place. And while the county is named for a 19th century land developer and accused embezzler, it's never been a haven for particularly dangerous criminals — indeed, the relatively few crimes in Bastrop today don't rise above the level of routine police work.

Even the sheriff's department, which is the proud owner of the MRAP tank, says it doesn't have a specific use for the machine, but "It's here if we need it." Well, yeah ... but that same feeble rational would apply if the county decided to get an atom bomb — you just never know when a big mushroom cloud might come in handy!

[jsr]

1. This is a county that sentenced a black man to death for dating a white fiancee of a police officer

http://austin.twcnews.com/content/news/296477/advocates--family-of-rodney-reed-fueled-by-federal-hearing

http://www.thenation.com/article/168349/rodney-reed-another-innocent-man-texas-death-row#

[BobUp]

2. Oh Yeah!!!!??? I'll call and raise you One!

http://blutube.policeone.com/video-product-showcases-videos/931133927001-tacarm-at-trexpo-east-2007/

[NuclearDem]

3. For, you know, those armor piercing drum circles.

Or the high explosive picket signs.

[JJChambers]

5. Hair on fire

While it is somewhat disconcerting to see armored vehicles on American streets, I do not think it is inherently inappropriate. Our tax dollars paid for that equipment (never should have happened in the first place but that's another thread). Our police departments have a valid interest in them if used appropriately. I would rather see police officers with armored vehicles when confronting barricaded, heavily armed persons than police officers getting shot to pieces. If you didn't know, most rifle rounds will cut through a standard vehicle like butter. Standard police ballistic vests do not stop rifle rounds.

These MRAPs would go to waste if not for this program. We may as well get our money's worth.

[TroglodyteScholar]

6. That's a unique perspective...

...and so very flawed.

My one-horse town has one of these beasts, and it has served no purpose whatsover. We are not in a warzone, and our police are here to serve and protect us...not to harrass and intimidate.

This bullshit makes my stomach churn.

[JJChambers]

7. The shock and outrage is premature

If police misuse and abuse this equipment we should be outraged. The simple fact that police have access to this equipment, which is easily justified based on numerous real world scenarios, does not alarm me.

Our police officers are faced with apprehending heavily armed individuals on an unfortunately all too regular basis. Why SHOULDN'T the police have access to specialized armored vehicles? Why should those vehicles, that we paid for, rot somewhere?

[Agony]

17. We are all guilty until proven innocent, why not hold the police to the same standard? nt

[frylock]

13. how many times in our illustrious history have cops been shot to pieces..

in the scenario you described? take that shit back to your LEO forum.

[FiveGoodMen]

16. "These MRAPs would go to waste if not for this program. We may as well get our money's worth."

There's probably some tax-payer-funded napalm lying around...

Should the local cops get that as well?

[JJChambers]

18. Mayhaps

If you can conceive of a realistic scenario in which napalm would be a beneficial tool for police to have, then perhaps so. I can't think of one myself. Armored vehicles, however, are certainly a good tool for police to have.

In this day and age with so many high powered rifles capable of cutting through body armor and standard vehicles as if they're made of warm butter, I can certainly forsee numerous situations im which armored vehicles for police would be necessary, appropriate and reasonable.

[Paladin]

4. Our entire country has been dangerously militarized for some time. (nt)

[Egalitarian Thug]

8. Hello from Arizona

Yes Virginia, that's a Howitzer.

& R

[phantom power]

9. of *course* it's Arpaio

[Egalitarian Thug]

10. You know, if it was limited to just a few insane individuals I wouldn't worry too much,

but this is nation wide. We've moved from whether or not the country should have any standing military forces at all, to each city having its own standing army on perpetual deployment.

What could possibly go wrong?

[phantom power]

11. build a police state, and somebody will use it...

[RC]

12. Just what they need to bust down the front door of some hippie pot smoker.

There is no real justification for stuff like this in the first place, if we would mind our own business, instead invading other countries to make more enemies we have to fight.

Tanks like that should have no need to even exist, let alone be put into civilians hands, for possible use against general population of this country. What the Hell is wrong with us, US?


If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything will start looking like nails

[One_Life_To_Give]

14. Cause even the NEA needs a SWAT team

Because we all know that every criminal carries HEAT rounds for their RPG.

[woo me with science]

15. Corporate fascism.

We have very little time to reverse this.