Drug Cartels in Oregon and the militarization of police.

[Kevatc]

While I don't disagree with the motivation to outgun the bad-guys, especially when dealing with well financed cartels, at the taxpayer's expense. I fail to see any of these running gun battles happening with baddies aside from one well publicised event in another state involving a couple of douchebags that illegally converted a couple of semi-autos.
It seems more like guys who couldn't make it in special operations (or didn't want the commitment) wanting to play with the same toys.
I can see it all now. "Well I used my EOtech and magnifier to draw a bead on the perp's nose, lit him up with my PEQ-2a laser illuminator in case we needed to send in our A-10 warthog for close air support, fired up the AN/PVS-14 in case things went past dark and I was late for meatloaf night (that would REALLY tick me off), then fired up my surefire 10,000 lumen mega-blaster to destroy any vision the bad guy (or my team) had. I wish the "armory" had gotten our shipment of mk67 frag grenades but apparently those haven't arrived yet..."
With all the unnecessary "kit" they spend our money on they could hire a couple extra officers.

I honestly don't know if they have all the night vision lasers and what not. Maybe they do and maybe they don't. I do want these guys to have the kit they need to do their job. As an example, I want a LEO sniper who may have to take out a bad guy who has hostage to have a the best gun and optics his department can afford. But that's just me. Some folks here see no need for law enforcement.

 

[Father of four]

We also need to remember, cops are us. There are the same percentage of crooked LEO as there are bad civilians. Not all LEOs are crooks and I hope they remember that not all civilians are crooks.

Agreed.

Not sure about the amount of bad LEOs compared to bad civilians, but OK.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

As an example, I want a LEO sniper who may have to take out a bad guy who has hostage to have a the best gun and optics his department can afford. But that's just me. Some folks here see no need for law enforcement.

So do I. It still takes training, not just high end gear. I love it when some "old guy" with his 60 year old beat up bolt gun and iron sights outshoots some know it all call of duty kid who spent more on his rifle than most people do on their car.
Cop in NY shooting that left hostage dead faced split-second decisions - U.S. News

 

[gimpyhunter]

Not sure about the amount of bad LEOs compared to bad civilians, but OK.

Certainly not the case here locally. Actually, not as much as most states. But as a general statement, they are no better than the rest of us. They are us.

We see the truth far clearer in events of major disasters. Think Katrina just to name one.

By far, the vast majority of cops are good, honest, hardworking decent people. But the same is true of us. Because we are them.

Remember Big Bear, CA and the LAPD just a few months ago? They purposefully burnt down a private residence in order to kill the suspect (innocent until proven guilty) inside. Then used his death to not pay out the rewards offered. New Orleans (Katrina), Ruby Ridge & Waco should still ring a bell. Those are examples of extremes in LE just as much as any of the mass shootings is an extreme example of the rest of us law abiding citizens.

Anytime we start speaking of groups that are better than the whole, a problem is established. Whether it's a political party, one group over another or one profession over another or one religion over another.

You are not better than me. Well, could be better looking and richer or a more accurate shooter, but not better. smile

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Remember Big Bear, CA and the LAPD just a few months ago? They purposefully burnt down a private residence in order to kill the suspect (innocent until proven guilty) inside. Then used his death to not pay out the rewards offered. New Orleans (Katrina), Ruby Ridge & Waco should still ring a bell. Those are examples of extremes in LE just as much as any of the mass shootings is an extreme example of the rest of us law abiding citizens.

Agreed. The disturbing thing, is LE does it with impunity.

 

[gimpyhunter]

> Agreed. The disturbing thing, is LE does it with impunity.

Well sort of. Cops are not what they were 50 years ago. Some venues, it's hard to tell the difference between the Crips and Bloods from LE. Usually you can tell them apart by the colors. The bad ones make no qualms about their gang is bigger than yours mentality.

Rodney King was the ultimate screw-up no doubt, until that video made those cops look far worse. But you're right, they didn't really pay, they mostly got to play. A second rate prosecutor in a middle class extremely white city with one local, state or federal cop on every block (Simi Valley has more cops per capita than any other place) to try the vicious cops? Who could have predicted the outcome? How much did that cost in property damage, lives and reputations?

There are more than enough idiots to go around. Like I said, they are us.

 

[Brutus57]

How many of those confiscated guns are from Fast & Furious?

Brutus Out