Supplying Law Enforcement With Military Style Gear

As stated by Rizer and Hartman, “When police officers are dressed like soldiers, armed like soldiers, and trained like soldiers, it’s not surprising that they are beginning to act like soldiers. And remember: a soldier’s main objective is to kill the enemy.” The authors of this article argue that while it is logically understandable, these new policing methods blur the distinction between soldier and law enforcement. Their new training and technology is no longer limited to counter terrorism, it is involved in daily patrolling now. Officers walk around in full armor, armed with M-16 and M-4 Rifles. Also, previously, only the largest of America's big-city police departments maintained S.W.A.T. teams. Today, almost every police department has

In the past, police officers and the public only had their word as their testimony. They had no choice but to try convince the jury that their side of the story was the truth. High profile cases between officers and the public have left the public searching and wanting answers. Some law enforcement departments have added another piece of equipment to their police officers for their added protection, while they patrol the streets. This controversial piece of

The Warrior Cop Project Organization represents law enforcement officers. Our ultimate goal is public awareness and education on the origins, the present, and the future of militarization of police and the safety of all American police officers. This paper examines the militarization of the American police forces as it pertains to the increased equipment and training needed by police to remain safe while effectively doing their required jobs. Militarization of police: it is more than just equipment. Our organization is pro-militarization of the police. Our police officers must be allowed to protect themselves when threatened. These threats are manifested on

In the past couple years the media has been focusing a lot of its attention on police officers. Sadly they make police officers out to be horrible people who act solely on their hatred for certain races, but in reality police officers are there for the safety of the citizens. In any profession there will be people who are there for the wrong reasons, and this is true for police officers as well. Although most police officers focus on the safety and wellbeing of the citizens, some police officers are in for their own selfish and personal reasons. As a result they act immoral and unethical. These are what the media calls bad cops. Because of the misconduct of a few police officers, the public now proposes police officers wear body cameras. The use of body cameras proves to be a valuable asset in the incrimination of justice because of its many benefits, few downsides, and overall public approval.

Since these multiple cop shootings and cases of police brutality, many people have lost faith in the police force and do not trust nor respect them. In a survey from about a year ago, people were asked how the police do on holding other cops accountable for their actions, and 65% of the respondents said the police do a poor job of doing so.(Chumley) In an editorial about a New Jersey police chief pondered why nobody trusts the police anymore, Deo Odelecki gave this explanation “I don’t know what to tell you chief. It’s not us pointing out all the disrespectful, violent things cops do every day that is making you look bad. It’s the cops doing those disrespectful violent things and chiefs, like you, covering up for them that is making you look bad”(Odelecki). This sums all the police mistrust in one quote, police committing violent and unnecessary things and other police officers trying to cover it up. If the police were to wear body cameras and fix their behavior, the trust in police would eventually be

The definition of sensitive items is anything that considered classified or a mission essential item. They range anywhere from protective wear, maps, patrol routes, nods (night vision goggles) or simply your weapon. The meaning of securing your sensitive items mainly is maintaining accountability for opsec (operation security), mission success and a soldiers overall readiness. If an item is lost and the enemy gets his/her hands on that item it could compromise the mission at hand or give them intelligence on the items we as soldiers use each day. Using habits and exercising the securing of sensitive items will make it possible for the soldier and his or her team to operate at the top performance. Operational

August 9th, 2014 is a day that will live on in infamy in the United States and the law enforcement community. On this day in Ferguson, Missouri, a member of the Ferguson Police Department, Officer Daren Wilson, shot and killed Michael Brown. From all accounts of the investigation at this time, Michael Brown was unarmed and had been stopped by Officer Wilson due to walking in the middle of the street (jaywalking). What happened next is in dispute and shocked the conscious of America. While investigators are still trying to answer the question as to what caused this tragic event to take place and evidence is being presented to a grand jury; a secondary discussion has emerged. Should all law enforcement agencies be required to purchase body-worn cameras for their officers to wear? Are body-worn cameras a good idea or will this help to create an Orwellian environment? Will body-worn cameras increase transparency for the law enforcement community or will it create a greater divide?

Very insightful post! You made several interesting points in your discussion. I do agree that the mass majority of American law enforcement personnel have become militarized in their attire, as well as their approach in addressing various community issues. There is certainly a degree public intimidation whenever law enforcement gets involved in local matters. There is a value system that is supposed to permeate a police department. Working with the community, local leaders, individual citizens and public/private organizations should be at the fore front of any police department. However, the increased workloads and loss of confidence in police departments have made it difficult to foster such relationships. According to Tom Casady, “Community-based

Due to a series of recent police-involved shootings, our nation has been filled with riots and unrest. American citizens are demanding for more police accountability. One of the most popular solutions to this problem is the implementation of body-worn cameras. There have been very few studies done on the effects of police forces wearing body-worn cameras. I am proposing a year-long research study of the implementation of body-worn cameras with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department also known as IMPD. IMPD has six distinct districts that cover different parts of Indianapolis and its suburbs. I will include all six districts in my study, and I will look at both the types of use-of-force techniques that were used as well

“When you’re training’s all about shooting, handcuffing, the physical part — and not about the verbal part — it can create an imbalance,” (Swart). The way that the public is treated by police officers at times is unacceptable. With getting the responsibility of having a badge and gun can negatively impact a person, that responsibility could get to someone’s head and one could abuse that power. “If he hasn’t been trained in that yet, he’s going to go straight to something he does know: handcuffing, defensive skills, shooting,” (Swart). This alone could be the negative impact on how an officer is being

Police work is dangerous. Sometimes police put in situations that excessive force is needed, but, because some officers use these extreme measures in situations when it is not required to use excessive force. The use of excessive force it should be looked into by the system in the misuse of power among officers. Most police officers throughout the ranks of the U.S. police departments are just seeking more authority/recognition among the population or the district his/he is working. The U.S. law enforcement that misuse their authority would get away with it in the past it would only be he or she said. Since the invention of cameras more of the excessive force used by police officers use gets caught in a circle around due to the social network. Law enforcement agents need to wear cameras with their uniforms and a penalty for any tampering with cameras view or shutting down the cameras with a 20 year sentence.

Nine hundred eighty-six is the number of people killed by police officers in 2015 in the United States, which is more than double the deaths reported annually over the past decade (The Washington Post). That number given is a total count of deaths under any circumstance of the fatality. Police force against citizens has become more and more aggressive each year, all though some of the force is needed for the situation, hundreds of people each year get killed by police that use force that is not necessary. The FBI did a five year study on deaths of citizens by police officers, and compared the percentages of races killed. Outcomes of that were not surprising if you keep up with modern day news, with the myth floating out in space that blacks are more likely to be killed by police than any other race. The percentages read 51.1% black, 46.3% white, and 2.6 other races murdered by police (FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting). If all police officers were required to wear body cameras during the line of duty, it would greatly reduce police brutality and create a much safer working environment.

According to Tom Retterbush of Conspiracy Watch , a survey was conducted and determined that for the 1st time since 9/11, people have been more afraid of the authorities than the criminals that they’re supposed to be arresting. The reason people don’t stand up for themselves against crooked authorities is because of fear. Fear, that is the reason badge abuse thrives in the U.S. In recent events, hundreds of cops dressed in military grade gear have barged in on protests, wrong addresses, etc. Now people might say that police only do that when the problem is major, when it’s necessary for criminals and rioters out there to be intimidated, so that they can be set straight into line, but here’s a great example where that’s not the case. In 2014, the Phonesavanhs, a Georgia family and their baby, fell victims to this during a no-knock house raid by S.W.A.T units. A stun grenade was thrown into their child’s crib, exploding and causing the 3 month-old’s face to be severely injured. The S.W.A.T officers involved weren’t charged for the incident, and even though it might’ve been an accident, the family never received an apology. Now that there is enough to intimidate just about anybody.

When a Police Officer is on duty and wearing that uniform, it is not uncommon to stereotype Police Officers for having status, too much authority, attitudes, and motivations (Johnson). But in reality the Police Uniform serves the purpose of the officer being able to be easily identified as a person that is vested with the powers of the state to arrest and use force (Johnson). Research has shown that alterations to the traditional, paramilitary police uniform can cause different perceptions by the public (Johnson). Different perceptions by the public to a police officer can be caused by simply wearing a different hat, or wearing a tie on your uniform. This is why many police departments to this day still wear the traditional “Class A” uniform. Although many departments still wear the “Class A” uniform, many of them are going to a more “Tactical” style

Do the heavily armed police officers make the environment safer? I have been told that this should make me feel safe. The real question is why do people feel that this is needed? Many see the use of these types of heavily armed and trained police insulting. Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, the Partnership For Civil Justice Fund’s executive director, a legal group, stated that, “The comparison of Black Lives Matter and other large protests to violent terrorist attacks is an outrage and an insult to the hundreds of thousands of people who have been marching across the country against racism and for police reform.”