Over Militarization

THOUSAND of SWATed up masked cops combed the town to no avail, acting like an occupying power, all to find one kid that had a good reason to believe was injured and not the brains of the outfit.

A couple dozen squad cars with and Andy Taylor and a Barney Fife armed with scatter guns would have got the terrist to go to ground, as he did.  And only a pair would have been needed to apprehend the bad guy after the tip from the boat owner.

I thought we had gone to far with our police years ago.  I am really concerned now.  We citizens need to push back on this trend at the ballot box.  Qualified immunity makes it harder at the jury box, but there, too.  And I'm on my soapbox now.  SWAT abuse is real, it's wrong, it's too expensive, and it needs to stop. 

Also, I'd love to see Congress pass a law that says whatever the gun laws are in a community, the cops have to adhere to them too.  Want to carry a pistol concealed off duty?  I can too.  Want to ban Uzi's and not let me own one?  Don't issue them to cops.  Ban AR's?  Give the cops a .30-30.  You want cops to open carry a pistol on their duty belt?  Let 'regular fold' do so too.  You areguing hollowpoints are bad somehow?  Break it to the cops that they have to go back to FMJ rounds.  Want 'smart' guns and microstamping and extra trigger locks onboard all new firearms?  Start with issuing those types to the po-po.  If the cops convince you it is a bad idea to do any of those, and overly burdens them in their job, then you can't apply it to the rest of us, most importantly.  The police get the best tool for the job, and so do I.  Or that is how it should be.

At least the ownership of Tanks and APCs is the same for the boys in blue as it is for the rest of us.  No change needed there.

If cops want to play at soldier they can join the National Guard.