With the BLM proposal that includes elimination of "military equpment" it seems important to know what that term means. Some seem content and believe they know what the term means. Unfortunately, I believe they are naive. Return with me to those halcyon days of the late 80s. At that point many police departments still issued wheel guns to their officers. Glocks were new, and broadly derided. Many departments were considering changing to new semiauto pistols. S&W was the big player initially, thus buying American was part of the sale. There were significant voices claiming that doing so was militarizing our police. Jump back to today. What limits the term "military equpment" to things like APCs as has been used as an example? Remember, pistols with more than 6 rounds were at one point considered militarization of the police.
I agree! Body armor, semi-auto pistols, AR's all seem to be "military equipment". Do we go as far as saying helicopters should be removed from the police also? Some seem to forget about the Hollywood bank robbery that had the police outgunned when they arrived on scene, if I remember correctly that is what prompted a lot of the "military equipment" making it to the police forces across the country.
Wouldn't you prefer that the government be at a disadvantage every time? We know it wasn't Jefferson that said it, but not sure who did, it still rings true. So yeah, let's give them back .38 specials, and have them walk the beat. Maybe not in rural counties, there let them drive their own pickup trucks.
Many PDs do indeed have automatic weapons, and while they don't all have tanks, they do have armored vehicles. Of course, you can own these too. It just takes money and a federal tax stamp. Az
Thanks guys for making my point. What constitutes "Military equipment" and which items of that equipment are thought to be appropriate for the police to use and which are inappropriate is not a fixed, and obvious, defined entity but subject to "gasp!" ,interpretation. That is my point here. and in the BLM thread, that some seem to be unable to grasp. Just to make it clear - for me, personally - APC is a no for police but AR15/M4 is ok; tactical webbing ok for me but bombs on the ends of robots is a no-go for me; both revolvers and semi-auto pistols are ok for me for police to use as well. The main point is that what "military equipment" is varies according to various definitions and then once you are in that realm where the line is also varies across people.
while cops don't typically own apaches, they can call on them. remember, the SOP of police is "always escalate", and they have the national guard blurred into the assets they can call upon. technically they even have some active duty units assigned to homeland defense that they can use. if they ever were challenged to the point where they'd need them, they would get them. if you doubt it, you don't have an accurate read of their mindset.
Not a Apache but sort of makes the point. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...attack-recalls-1973-slayings-New-Orleans.html