+1 for this. There’s a county near here where the deputies all dress like Blackwater ops (tactical thigh holster, 511 khakis, the whole bit), and have attitudes to match. I don’t think any nation in modern history has matched the militarization of police in modern America, although it didn’t begin with 9/11, but with the failed drug war.The militarization of our police departments in North America is one of the most tragic reactionary failures of the post-9/11 mentality. I am getting rather sick and tired of our officers being attired and armed as if they were an occupation army and their increasingly militaristic vocabulary - such as calling citizens, “civilians”. ‘Citizen’ points to their duties and responsibilities in regards to the public and their obligations in a constitutional framework; “civilians” reduces people and makes them almost alien.
In North America especially we need to reform our police departments and do a lot to temper our post-9/11 legislation that has ludicrously expanded the powers of law enforcement and made a mockery of our countries as democracies.
… what I find especially sad is that the NYPD officers in those photos - the city with the most excuse in North America to arm their police officers heavily - are much less militarized than my local police department in a small Canadian city with one of the lowest crime rates in North America. Our cops look like combat troops.
NYPD has a tank…The militarization of our police departments in North America is one of the most tragic reactionary failures of the post-9/11 mentality. I am getting rather sick and tired of our officers being attired and armed as if they were an occupation army and their increasingly militaristic vocabulary - such as calling citizens, “civilians”. ‘Citizen’ points to their duties and responsibilities in regards to the public and their obligations in a constitutional framework; “civilians” reduces people and makes them almost alien.
In North America especially we need to reform our police departments and do a lot to temper our post-9/11 legislation that has ludicrously expanded the powers of law enforcement and made a mockery of our countries as democracies.
… what I find especially sad is that the NYPD officers in those photos - the city with the most excuse in North America to arm their police officers heavily - are much less militarized than my local police department in a small Canadian city with one of the lowest crime rates in North America. Our cops look like combat troops.
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Some PR genius decided to invite the public to post pictures of themselve w/ police officers.
Oops!
I agree, since when did it become OK for small and medium sized city police forces to suddenly have military grade weapons and gear? LOLThe militarization of our police departments in North America is one of the most tragic reactionary failures of the post-9/11 mentality. I am getting rather sick and tired of our officers being attired and armed as if they were an occupation army and their increasingly militaristic vocabulary - such as calling citizens, “civilians”. ‘Citizen’ points to their duties and responsibilities in regards to the public and their obligations in a constitutional framework; “civilians” reduces people and makes them almost alien.
In North America especially we need to reform our police departments and do a lot to temper our post-9/11 legislation that has ludicrously expanded the powers of law enforcement and made a mockery of our countries as democracies.
… what I find especially sad is that the NYPD officers in those photos - the city with the most excuse in North America to arm their police officers heavily - are much less militarized than my local police department in a small Canadian city with one of the lowest crime rates in North America. Our cops look like combat troops.
A tank? Photo or a link to a photo of it please.NYPD has a tank…
http://newmediarockstars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/nypd-blew-it-4-14422-665x385.jpg
That brings a whole new level to stop and frisk.
Firefighters also term civilians as “civilians,” do we need to watch out for them too?The militarization of our police departments in North America is one of the most tragic reactionary failures of the post-9/11 mentality. I am getting rather sick and tired of our officers being attired and armed as if they were an occupation army and their increasingly militaristic vocabulary - such as calling citizens, “civilians”. ‘Citizen’ points to their duties and responsibilities in regards to the public and their obligations in a constitutional framework; “civilians” reduces people and makes them almost alien.
In North America especially we need to reform our police departments and do a lot to temper our post-9/11 legislation that has ludicrously expanded the powers of law enforcement and made a mockery of our countries as democracies.
… what I find especially sad is that the NYPD officers in those photos - the city with the most excuse in North America to arm their police officers heavily - are much less militarized than my local police department in a small Canadian city with one of the lowest crime rates in North America. Our cops look like combat troops.
It’s not technically a tank, it’s an M113 APC that’s presumably replaced the M2 Browning machine gun for something to fire tear gas canisters.A tank? Photo or a link to a photo of it please.
There is no technically about it. Even fresh off the factory floor fully up to full military specs M113s were never considered tanks. As for this being a new type of equipment for the police to use, police departments have been using armored vehicles since at least the 20’s and 30’s. I even found a picture of the NYPD using an armored motorcycle and sidecar during the 1930s.It’s not technically a tank, it’s an M113 APC that’s presumably replaced the M2 Browning machine gun for something to fire tear gas canisters.
I was referring to the fact that by its technical specifications it was never considered a tank. In terms of what an American police department would face the M113 is very much a tracked vehicle with a rotating weapon mount that is heavily armor (compared to what it would face). It’s the equivalent of a tank on the civilian side and it carries troops.There is no technically about it. Even fresh off the factory floor fully up to full military specs M113s were never considered tanks. As for this being a new type of equipment for the police to use, police departments have been using armored vehicles since at least the 20’s and 30’s. I even found a picture of the NYPD using an armored motorcycle and sidecar during the 1930s.
No, its comparable to armored cars which have a long history of service as a piece of police equipment. The only reason to try to term it a “tank” is for the fear factor. Same reason the media constantly misidentifies semi-automatic rifles as “machine guns.”I was referring to the fact that by its technical specifications it was never considered a tank. In terms of what an American police department would face the M113 is very much a tracked vehicle with a rotating weapon mount that is heavily armor (compared to what it would face). It’s the equivalent of a tank on the civilian side and it carries troops.
Please list the military grade weapons and gear that these police forces have but shouldn’t have.I agree, since when did it become OK for small and medium sized city police forces to suddenly have military grade weapons and gear? LOL
Seems like they are on the verge of something larger…add to this, they are actively trying to disarm the public…hmmm…somethings going on.
For what it’s worth, Boston Terriers and Pugs have tank like bodies. They are sturdy little dogs with cobby square bodies. I have always had Pugs and they look like small bulldogs.NYPD has a tank…
http://newmediarockstars.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/nypd-blew-it-4-14422-665x385.jpg
That brings a whole new level to stop and frisk.
I dont have any contact with police, so I dont know the exact gear they have, BUT I do know for a fact, the military has a program where they donate ex-military hardware, vehicles, weapons, etc to city and county police forces…since when do city and county police forces need military hardware? lolPlease list the military grade weapons and gear that these police forces have but shouldn’t have.
Frightening for people who don’t bother to figure out what equipment is being sold/given to police forces maybe. The military does have a program for selling/giving de-militarized equipment and equipment that doesn’t need to be de-militarized because you can walk into a local store and buy it off the shelf to police forces. Its called fiscal responsibility. The police save money by buying the equipment for cheap and the military doesn’t waste money by just sending perfectly good but outdated equipment to the junk yard. Or is government waste and fiscal irresponsibility a good thing?I dont have any contact with police, so I dont know the exact gear they have, BUT I do know for a fact, the military has a program where they donate ex-military hardware, vehicles, weapons, etc to city and county police forces…since when do city and county police forces need military hardware? lol
Watch the news, read headlines from around the nation, I think you will agree the police are more like military platoons today. This is frightening for alot of people and rightfully so.