Essay On Police Militarization

Laws are created to establish a sense of order in any civil society, however how far will we go to make sure these laws are enforced? Police militarization is a silent but growing concern in our nation as officers around the country receive new and unnecessary equipment to combat crime. Although it can be considered a good attribute for our officers to have new equipment such as upgraded weapons and armor, materials such as tanks are not needed in a suburban neighborhood. the police mindset has changed to that of a soldier fighting a war and trying to survive in a domestic war. Furthermore crowd control today in modern day society makes our officers appear as oppressive tyrants rather than our everyday protectors.

The very mindset of some officers has

An incident such as this has been recalled by Jason Henry from Pasadena Star news where "two bank robbers in military-grade body armor and armed with automatic weapons sprayed some 1,000 armor-piercing rounds in a 44-minute gun battle with under-geared police officers." The gun fight presented on the news made our officers appear as if they were helpless to defend themselves as well as the civilians that were injured or killed. The 1033 program is somewhat useful when purchasing things like body armor or weapon modifications. However full blown military gear makes some areas involving riots such as Ferguson seem as a policed City State. Law enforcement officers more disconnected with their communities using only the newest equipment to maintain order rather than the use of traditional methods. Newseek has stated that "Studies also show that police have the power to either lessen the tensions of an angry group of people or goad them into a riot" Confronting angry citizens in military clothing with gas masks and automatic weapons angers protestors and accomplished