The Case for SWAT Teams: Mend them, don't end them
Jun 9, 2011 16:54:13 GMT -5
Post by avordvet on Jun 9, 2011 16:54:13 GMT -5
Interesting thread and the comments are well worth the time.
During my military career I have worked with quite a few SWAT/TacOps teams across the country and over that time, I have witnessed the continued militarization of these teams. Now that the "old hands" have been long retired, the Teams are even more "radicalized" and overused.
The old school guys were a stabilizing force within the Teams and now that they are gone, you have noticed the ramp up in incidents.
The proliferation of modern LEO Special Operations is getting way out of hand www.cato.org/raidmap/ they are killing more and more innocent citizens, unnecessarily damaging property, killing family pets, and then pay absolutely no price for their transgressions. But, people are waking up to the danger posed by these out of control Paramilitary units and these Oath-breakers are going to start paying a serious price.
With the "war on drugs" and now the "war on terror", the funds are being shoved to the states/localities to build these teams at an increasing rate, and we all know why. These guys are getting cutting edge weapons, combat vehicles, technology, and training SPECIFICALLY designed for military use.
These units have become a paramilitary force at a minimum, and in my estimation, a "standing army" the founders warned us about, they are not beholden to the citizens that they are sworn to protect, but to a government entity.
Most of these Teams should be disbanded immediately, keeping one multi-jurisdictional Team in a regional operating area... the way SWAT was originally designed and used, and they should only be used after all normal LE procedures/techniques have been exhausted.
But that's just me...
The Case for SWAT Teams (Mend them, don't end them.)
www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2732326/posts
During my military career I have worked with quite a few SWAT/TacOps teams across the country and over that time, I have witnessed the continued militarization of these teams. Now that the "old hands" have been long retired, the Teams are even more "radicalized" and overused.
The old school guys were a stabilizing force within the Teams and now that they are gone, you have noticed the ramp up in incidents.
The proliferation of modern LEO Special Operations is getting way out of hand www.cato.org/raidmap/ they are killing more and more innocent citizens, unnecessarily damaging property, killing family pets, and then pay absolutely no price for their transgressions. But, people are waking up to the danger posed by these out of control Paramilitary units and these Oath-breakers are going to start paying a serious price.
With the "war on drugs" and now the "war on terror", the funds are being shoved to the states/localities to build these teams at an increasing rate, and we all know why. These guys are getting cutting edge weapons, combat vehicles, technology, and training SPECIFICALLY designed for military use.
These units have become a paramilitary force at a minimum, and in my estimation, a "standing army" the founders warned us about, they are not beholden to the citizens that they are sworn to protect, but to a government entity.
Most of these Teams should be disbanded immediately, keeping one multi-jurisdictional Team in a regional operating area... the way SWAT was originally designed and used, and they should only be used after all normal LE procedures/techniques have been exhausted.
But that's just me...
The Case for SWAT Teams (Mend them, don't end them.)
www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2732326/posts