Hello:

Are your cops looking more like soldiers these days? It's MORE than just their uniforms. Since 9/11 there has been a militarization of our police forces.

My questions are; 1) do you agree that there, indeed, IS a militarization of the cops, and 2) if you do, is that a good thing?

I'll start. No, it's NOT a good thing. Their jobs are NOT the same, and should be separate. I don't think soldiers should be fighting the drug war, and I don't think your local cops should be driving tanks. It doesn't bode well for us as citizens.

excon

I haven't noticed that here. All I see is the police car parked mostly out of sight very near where the speed limit reduces!

I haven't noticed anything like it. How are they more militarized?. did your local cops change uniforms/vehicles?

Ex, I just thought about the assault against the Branch Davidians at Waco, Texas. Was that what you are referring to? Janet Reno should have been called up on charges. Weren't those federal troops, or under federal control? But, then, she was the Democrat darling.

I haven't seen any signs of the militarization of the local or State police forces, but I have seen evidence of the police-ization of military forces (i.e. putting them to work doing domestic surveillance, and god knows what else), and that bothers me a great deal.

I have a friend whose son was an Army Ranger. After he got out of the Army, he became a cop. He said that the training and techniques were completely different--as a Ranger, he was taught how to kill and injure people. As a cop, he was taught how to subdue and incapacitate people without injuring them. He said he had a lot of unlearning to do to make the transition. That's why I don't want the military in the business of policing.

Come on, don't you want a chance to drive a tank, now to be that would be like those guys who pay to drive a race car.

But no, I have seen no difference in any of the training procedures for the police.

I live in small-town, USA, and our local police sometimes dress in what looks to be black pajamas. Check this (an old article): http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/7...at-rights.html
Lots of towns have SWAT teams, probably to deal with local terrorists in publc schools, as well as foreign terrorists.

Hello George:

Although I hadn't read anything regarding the issue, but because I am a careful observer, I know something is changing with our local cops. The article you provided is exactly what I am talking about.

It IS happening. Most of you don't even know it, as your answers make clear. Is it a GOOD thing? Or not?

excon

I have not noticed any changes in my area. Of course I live in suburbia where the cops enforce the 30 MPH speed limit and respond to deer vs car accidents.

Our cops have reduced their patrols because they have already used up their budget of gasoline. They have increased their revenue producing efforts like sitting at speed traps... and sometimes conducting registration road blocks. Beyond that ;no military look to them at all. Oh I have seen some patrols at the airports that looked military in design . But I do not know what they were responding to . I have often seen police in European cities looking like they were dressed for battle ,but not often here .

Here's a technology that was developed for the military but is now being used by the police:
GPS: Secret Weapon

I noticed the police in my moms town are wearing more of a swat team uniform. They now walk the streets with a police dog. But from what I was told it is because of the bloods and crypts trying to move in from Trenton NJ.

Well there are certainly more reported beatings/police brutality than before.

Well, can't say that I've noticed anything like that with our local law enforcement.

In fact, ours seems just the opposite here.

They have gone to bright yellow short sleeved shirts, that resemble something you might see a fast food worker wear.

Last weekend, the wife and I were downtown walking and people watching when two cops rode past us on Segways. You know, those two wheeled "star wars" looking things.

The last thing I thought of as they passed would be that they are more "military" looking.

Actually looked more like something out of a comic book.

You are, I believe, much closer to our un-secured border, which may explain the difference there, as compared to middle America?