- Messages
- 2,948
- Reactions
- 2,214
Danziger Bridge shootings - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
We have an ongoing problem in this country where cops take an "us vs them" attitude. Once upon a time, this attitude may have been reserved only for criminals, however with the continual militarization of police forces across the country, who seem to equate even the worst streets in los angeles, camden NJ, New York NY, and washington DC with Fallujah, where armed criminals are waiting in every dark alley, and around every corner could be a roadside bomb, or a group of RPG armed attackers.
While in theory, I have a great respect for the people of law enforcement, they do a job few people want to, and the whole time they have to put up with the worst elements of our society. Combine that with a revolving door of justice, where career criminals are simply cycled back out onto the street until they finally get enough strikes or commit a crime serious enough to be sent to jail for life. I can definitely empathize with their feelings of frustration. However, beating a handcuffed suspect, threatening death or great bodily harm is simply unacceptable even in the most dire of circumstances. It seems more and more frequently the ranks of many police forces are being filled up with egomaniacs who want the authority of carrying a gun and a badge, yet none of the responsibilities that go with that.
Reason put out a good article a few years ago that talks about the militarization of police, it was actually a transcript of testimony before congress:
Our Militarized Police Departments - Reason Magazine
Best line from the article (and conclusion): "It's time we stopped the war talk, the military tactics, and the military gear. America's domestic police departments should be populated by peace officers, not the troops of an occupying military force."
We have an ongoing problem in this country where cops take an "us vs them" attitude. Once upon a time, this attitude may have been reserved only for criminals, however with the continual militarization of police forces across the country, who seem to equate even the worst streets in los angeles, camden NJ, New York NY, and washington DC with Fallujah, where armed criminals are waiting in every dark alley, and around every corner could be a roadside bomb, or a group of RPG armed attackers.
While in theory, I have a great respect for the people of law enforcement, they do a job few people want to, and the whole time they have to put up with the worst elements of our society. Combine that with a revolving door of justice, where career criminals are simply cycled back out onto the street until they finally get enough strikes or commit a crime serious enough to be sent to jail for life. I can definitely empathize with their feelings of frustration. However, beating a handcuffed suspect, threatening death or great bodily harm is simply unacceptable even in the most dire of circumstances. It seems more and more frequently the ranks of many police forces are being filled up with egomaniacs who want the authority of carrying a gun and a badge, yet none of the responsibilities that go with that.
Reason put out a good article a few years ago that talks about the militarization of police, it was actually a transcript of testimony before congress:
Our Militarized Police Departments - Reason Magazine
Best line from the article (and conclusion): "It's time we stopped the war talk, the military tactics, and the military gear. America's domestic police departments should be populated by peace officers, not the troops of an occupying military force."
