Interesting WSJ Article on Modern LE Tactics

[Gabriel]

You concentrate on tactics when strategy is at issue.

It is not the LEOs, it is the laws. There are too many.

Make government smaller, give it focus, so law enforcement can focus on what we all want, arresting and prosecuting the "bad apples" and leave the rest of the barrel alone.

I kind of love you right now.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

My god, the solution to this country's crime problems was simpler than anyone thought.

Of course, this disregards the fact that - at the time - six-shooters were _the_ standard arm of the day. It's not the ARs and the hi-cap plastic pistols - or even SWAT tactics - that make the militarization of police so scary today; it's how often they are used unnecessarily and the frequency of the "mistakes" they make - and the consequences to innocent citizenry that ensue.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

I may be repeating something said elsewhere upthread, but while I have a lot of sympathy for individual police officers attempting to carry out their duties day-to-day, law enforcement agencies have a responsibility to the public to ensure they preserve our constitutional rights in a manner consistent with public perceptions. The individual cop-on-the-street may need to adopt the warrior mentality in order to cope with the level of violence and aggression he encounters on a daily basis, but he also has be able to dial that mentality back to deal with the non-violent citizens they encounter. Most law enforcement officers I have met are able to do this, but apparently not all of them have that skill, and that skill is essential to keep them from being perceived as oppressors rather than enforcers of our laws.

 

[rambone]

Watch this video. Raids like this happen roughly 80,000-100,000 times per year, primarily for non-violent crimes.

Concussion grenades thrown into bedrooms. Doors broken down. Guns in everyone's faces. Animals shot on sight.

Everything was by the book. Justified. Protocol.

Something is very wrong with this picture.

[video=youtube;-eDVhtNgnOo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eDVhtNgnOo[/video]

 

[phylodog]

Watch this video. Raids like this happen roughly 80,000-100,000 times per year, primarily for non-violent crimes.

Concussion grenades thrown into bedrooms. Doors broken down. Guns in everyone's faces. Animals shot on sight.

Everything was by the book. Justified. Protocol.

Something is very wrong with this picture.

[video=youtube;-eDVhtNgnOo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eDVhtNgnOo[/video]

Would you please link to the stats on how many of these raids are conducted on non violent crimes? Please be sure the definition of non violent crimes is included. If someone has been convicted of murder and has a history of fighting with the police, is released then commits auto theft and ends up with a warrant, are they considered violent or non violent for your definition?

How many flash bangs are deployed into bedrooms versus living rooms or outside of the house one the porch?

He who controls the language.....

 

[rambone]

What is the proportion of raids performed at your department for violent vs. non-violent crimes? How many drug raids have been performed this year? Is this information public or secret?

 

[phylodog]

What is the proportion of raids performed at your department for violent vs. non-violent crimes? How many drug raids have been performed this year? Is this information public or secret?

Couldnt tell you. I'm guessing that if someone wanted to ask the question the answer would be provided but I neither keep those stats or have authorization to release that type of info without written permission from the chief of police.

What I can tell you is that the "stats" you post on a regular basis look nothing like the way my team does business. I guess that probably has something to do with the fact that you don't see us in the news. I'd like to see the stats you use to draw your conclusions and make your statements so I can see how we measure up against the averages.

The decision for team involvement has less to do with the crime in question than the criminal nature and propensity for violence of the suspect.

 

[mrjarrell]

For some facts and figures on SWAT, militarisation of the police and more. This is the original white paper that led to Radley's new book. Lots of footnotes and citations for the non believers.

http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/balko_whitepaper_2006.pdf

 

[steveh_131]

You concentrate on tactics when strategy is at issue.

It is not the LEOs, it is the laws. There are too many.

Make government smaller, give it focus, so law enforcement can focus on what we all want, arresting and prosecuting the "bad apples" and leave the rest of the barrel alone.

I don't disagree with this, but I do place some responsibility on the enforcers to do the right thing. You can say "no".

 

[rambone]

"This is the same task force that killed Todd Blair and raided Matthew David Stewart. I'm not sure it would be wise to show them your back." -- Radley Balko

 

[IndyDave1776]

Ok, then:

1. Abolish federal money going to state and local police.

2. End the DoJ drug grants.

3. Put more restrictions or end Uncle Sugar sharing the keys to the gun cabinet to state and local LEAs.

4. Make society stop turning to government to fix everything under the sun. Government knows one thing and one thing only--violence.

Stop saying "the government ought to" or "what the government needs to do is".

4A. Abolish the Welfare State which is an acid dripped upon the framework of families (e.g., the biggest threat to law and order, fatherless children), especially African-American families. read "Life at the Bottom", the UK's present is our future.

4B. Fight socialism and abolish the capital gains tax, put people back to work, instead of working on becoming Habitual Offenders. Return the lash of poverty so that sloth and indolence has painful consequences.

Great ideas which in theory should be easy given that nowhere in Article I Section 8 did I see any of the above in the enumerated powers of the federal government.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Ok, then:

1. Abolish federal money going to state and local police.

2. End the DoJ drug grants.

3. Put more restrictions or end Uncle Sugar sharing the keys to the gun cabinet to state and local LEAs.

4. Make society stop turning to government to fix everything under the sun. Government knows one thing and one thing only--violence.

Stop saying "the government ought to" or "what the government needs to do is".

4A. Abolish the Welfare State which is an acid dripped upon the framework of families (e.g., the biggest threat to law and order, fatherless children), especially African-American families. read "Life at the Bottom", the UK's present is our future.

4B. Fight socialism and abolish the capital gains tax, put people back to work, instead of working on becoming Habitual Offenders. Return the lash of poverty so that sloth and indolence has painful consequences.

Dont forget:
5. Dont let them keep what they confiscate to fund operations." Thats just ASKING for trouble.

6. "Carrying large sums of cash in and of itself is NOT a crime." Sorry, if I feel like carrying 25k in cash for some reason, who cares. This was america, LAND OF THE FREE home of the brave the last time I checked. That act alone doesnt make me suspicious automatically and shouldnt allow the govt to confiscate it until I can prove I have it rightfully and am not "up to no good." whatever happened to "innocent until proven guilty?"