ACLU Launches Nationwide Police Militarization Investigation
The vast majority of those raids are to serve warrants on people suspected of nonviolent drug crimes. Police forces were no longer reserving SWAT teams and paramilitary tactics for events that presented an immediate threat to the public. They were now using them mostly as an investigative tool in drug cases, creating violent confrontations with people suspected of nonviolent, consensual crimes.
It was during the Reagan administration that the SWAT-ification of America really began to accelerate. Reagan (and a compliant Congress) passed policies encouraging cooperation and mutual training between the military and police agencies. The president set up joint task forces in which domestic cops and soldiers worked together on anti-drug operations. And, with some help from Congress, he nudged the Pentagon to start loaning or even giving surplus military gear to law enforcement agencies. Subsequent administrations continued all of these policies -- and a number of new ones.
After Reagan, new federal policies provided yet more incentive for militarization. In 1988, Congress created the Byrne grant program, which gives money to local police departments and prosecutors for a number of different criminal justice purposes. But a large portion of Byrne grant money over the years has been earmarked for anti-drug policing. Competition among police agencies for the pool of cash has made anti-drug policing a high priority. And once there was federal cash available for drug busts, drug raids became more common.
Byrne grants also created and funded anti-narcotics multi-jurisdictional task forces. These roving teams of drug cops are often entirely funded with grants and through asset forfeiture, and usually don't report to any single police agency. The poor incentives and lack of real accountability have produced some catastrophic results, like the mass drug raid debacles in Tulia and Hearne, Texas, in the late 1990s.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/06/aclu-police-militarization-swat_n_2813334.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
pipoman
(16,038 posts)for police militarization. I feel police should not be allowed to wear the tacti-cool gear unless they are doing something which requires more stealth, and that isn't arresting a bad check writer or small time pot dealer. Too many departments have made tactical gear everyday apparel for their traffic cops. It has been my peeve for some time, the traffic cop wearing all black parachute pants flak jacket, low slung holster, and high top boots with their pants tucked in..No, I think they should have to wear the old style uniforms, or business casual wear..what people wear effects how they act...militarized cop newbies act like asses..
midnight
(26,624 posts)But I have to wonder how Saftey can even be use to carry this type of action?
pipoman
(16,038 posts)by police for violently treating people who aren't even charged with a crime..it is an excuse which should have to be demonstrated that a 'reasonable person' would feel danger in a given situation...instead it is used to justify all kinds of police abuses..
midnight
(26,624 posts)Pararescue
(131 posts)and strut around like they're gods. I'm glad that the ACLU is doing an investigation on the militarization of our police forces for every day duty.