Russian troops to provide security at mass US events.

[ChiComCat]

Seems like the military and police could learn from each other. Maybe swap some "pro tips".

Please tell me you are trolling.  What do officers of the peace have to learn from warriors?  Police are already out of control because they are ego maniacs with the force of guns/laws and can we please talk about why any police department needs this, let alone a quiet New England town?:

To "Thunderstrike" terrorists taking over the Keene mall.  It's like you didn't even read the article.

But in all honesty, is the issue not whatever Federal Grant paid for this?  The police force was basically offered a free tank. 

[Kat Kid]

Seems like the military and police could learn from each other. Maybe swap some "pro tips".

Please tell me you are trolling.  What do officers of the peace have to learn from warriors?  Police are already out of control because they are ego maniacs with the force of guns/laws and can we please talk about why any police department needs this, let alone a quiet New England town?:

To "Thunderstrike" terrorists taking over the Keene mall.  It's like you didn't even read the article.

But in all honesty, is the issue not whatever Federal Grant paid for this?  The police force was basically offered a free tank.

Oh absolutely.  Some of the Terrorism/DEA grants are insane.  But the effect on community/police interactions is where we see the biggest impact.

[p1k3]

The military and police forces learning to work together is a pretty good idea IMO.

SD's Police State moving Forward

[steve dave]

Seems like the military and police could learn from each other. Maybe swap some "pro tips".

Please tell me you are trolling.  What do officers of the peace have to learn from warriors?  Police are already out of control because they are ego maniacs with the force of guns/laws and can we please talk about why any police department needs this, let alone a quiet New England town?:

obviously they don't need that. but, I think that they need to have the ability to coordinate their activities in times of crisis. hurricanes, earthquakes, actual large terrorist something happening, it goes on.

[kim carnes]

Seems like the military and police could learn from each other. Maybe swap some "pro tips".

Please tell me you are trolling.  What do officers of the peace have to learn from warriors?  Police are already out of control because they are ego maniacs with the force of guns/laws and can we please talk about why any police department needs this, let alone a quiet New England town?:

obviously they don't need that. but, I think that they need to have the ability to coordinate their activities in times of crisis. hurricanes, earthquakes, actual large terrorist something happening, it goes on.

do you want to live in a police state?  do you!?!?

[steve dave]

Seems like the military and police could learn from each other. Maybe swap some "pro tips".

Please tell me you are trolling.  What do officers of the peace have to learn from warriors?  Police are already out of control because they are ego maniacs with the force of guns/laws and can we please talk about why any police department needs this, let alone a quiet New England town?:

obviously they don't need that. but, I think that they need to have the ability to coordinate their activities in times of crisis. hurricanes, earthquakes, actual large terrorist something happening, it goes on.

do you want to live in a police state?  do you!?!?

no, and lol at people connecting this to living in one. I mean, what on earth.

[michigancat]

Seems like the military and police could learn from each other. Maybe swap some "pro tips".

Please tell me you are trolling.  What do officers of the peace have to learn from warriors?  Police are already out of control because they are ego maniacs with the force of guns/laws and can we please talk about why any police department needs this, let alone a quiet New England town?:

So much of the Iraq war was essentially urban police work. You don't think police and military could learn from each other's comparable experiences? Law enforcement may have better techniques for locating a suspect in a large building. The military could provide knowledge about large scale logistics that could help law enforcement during a disaster. I'm sure there are plenty of other areas where common knowledge would be very beneficial.

The concern I have with those silly tanks is that they're wasteful spending, not that we're looking at a joint police/military takeover of government.

[ChiComCat]

Wasteful spending is more of my concern, though I do think that arming police with more aggressive equipment will lead to bad results.  Certainly not a police state, but more examples of unnecessary force being used.  If they have the equipment, it is not a leap to think that some will look for an excuse to use it.

[p1k3]

Certainly not a police state, but more examples of unnecessary force being used. 

so just a little more police state like?

[ChiComCat]

Certainly not a police state, but more examples of unnecessary force being used. 

so just a little more police state like?

A police state would be to silence political dissent and repress the people.  Cops using unnecessary force is not that.  Cops using unnecessary force would be a couple idiots thinking its necessary to take their tank jeep to break up a bar fight.

[steve dave]

I'd take the tank jeep everywhere fwiw

[p1k3]

Certainly not a police state, but more examples of unnecessary force being used. 

so just a little more police state like?

A police state would be to silence political dissent and repress the people.  Cops using unnecessary force is not that.  Cops using unnecessary force would be a couple idiots thinking its necessary to take their tank jeep to break up a bar fight.

I see what you're saying, but I think you could argue that jeep tank commandos could be considered kind of police statey.

I'd take the tank jeep everywhere fwiw

Maybe they would be faster to out run than the standard cop car?

[steve dave]

first day having a tank jeep and the MHK police force would spend the entire day patrolling pillsbury like bosses.

[CNS]

I'd take the tank jeep everywhere fwiw

Keep an eye out at the local surplus store!

[CNS]

first day having a tank jeep and the MHK police force would spend the entire day patrolling pillsbury like bosses.

Aggieville would rue that first tankjeep night!

[mortons toe]

my chime in on the subject... fwiw.

I live in one of the biggest cities in the country, and have noticed within the last few months that the local PD and PD at the institution that I work at have been making changes to their uniforms and vehicles. The uniforms were the first thing I noticed... from a light blue button down top and black pants, to an all black uniform. I asked one of the officers that I speak regularly with what was up with the change... his response - "Homeland Security is giving us funding to match up with other departments."

A couple of weeks ago, I was walking in to grab lunch when three city officers were walking out, and I nonchalantly asked "whats up with the new paint schemes on some of the cars?" (they have changed from blue and white to black and white) One of the officers responded that there was no announcement, and they kind of just showed up with no real explanation. He was hesitant in his reaction and seemed uneasy with the question... I will admit that I was fishing for an answer, so any hesitation would seem exaggerated.

My point in all of this... the whole idea of blurring/blending the municipalities through funding by DHS is concerning.   

[star seed 7]

I bet racist toe gets really steamed watching carstop videos on youtube.

[Kat Kid]

Seems like the military and police could learn from each other. Maybe swap some "pro tips".

Please tell me you are trolling.  What do officers of the peace have to learn from warriors?  Police are already out of control because they are ego maniacs with the force of guns/laws and can we please talk about why any police department needs this, let alone a quiet New England town?:

So much of the Iraq war was essentially urban police work. You don't think police and military could learn from each other's comparable experiences? Law enforcement may have better techniques for locating a suspect in a large building. The military could provide knowledge about large scale logistics that could help law enforcement during a disaster. I'm sure there are plenty of other areas where common knowledge would be very beneficial.

The concern I have with those silly tanks is that they're wasteful spending, not that we're looking at a joint police/military takeover of government.

Rusty, SD:
My concern with them (more than the budgetary concern, which is obvious) is that once you have these things you dream up reasons to use them.  So people getting accused of simple possession of a controlled substance now get hit with a flashbang and 10 dudes coming through their door with a battering ram on a no-knock warrant.

Considering the amount of vetrans already in law enforcement I have a hard time believing that more task forces, more grants, more cooperation between local police forces and the military is a net benefit.  Also, huge lol that some local yokel is going to be informing SOP for the military in a war zone. 

What in the hell are you talking about?  As far as organizing for natural disasters etc. practically speaking none of that is going to be improved by this and that is not where the incentives drive the relationship now or in any probably future in the short term.  Nearly all of the money comes from terrorism (homeland security/FBI etc.) or the DEA.

[sys]

kat kid!   

[steve dave]

yeah, I'm not concerned with any of that infowars police state garbage or anything else other than the obvious budget stuff. I've yet to see any link between this and any additional force being used. if one can be made then sure, it would be a problem.

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

A police state would be to silence political dissent and repress the people. Cops using unnecessary force is not that.  Cops using unnecessary force would be a couple idiots thinking its necessary to take their tank jeep to break up a bar fight.

Yeah, like using the Irs to intimidate the tea party, or wire tapping fox news reporters Telephones.  That's more police statey than police tanks.

[catzacker]

A police state would be to silence political dissent and repress the people. Cops using unnecessary force is not that.  Cops using unnecessary force would be a couple idiots thinking its necessary to take their tank jeep to break up a bar fight.

Yeah, like using the Irs to intimidate the tea party, or wire tapping fox news reporters Telephones.  That's more police statey than police tanks.

to be fair, we're spying on every single American, not just fox news.

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

Yay, police state!

[Dugout DickStone]

my chime in on the subject... fwiw.

I live in one of the biggest cities in the country, and have noticed within the last few months that the local PD and PD at the institution that I work at have been making changes to their uniforms and vehicles. The uniforms were the first thing I noticed... from a light blue button down top and black pants, to an all black uniform. I asked one of the officers that I speak regularly with what was up with the change... his response - "Homeland Security is giving us funding to match up with other departments."

A couple of weeks ago, I was walking in to grab lunch when three city officers were walking out, and I nonchalantly asked "whats up with the new paint schemes on some of the cars?" (they have changed from blue and white to black and white) One of the officers responded that there was no announcement, and they kind of just showed up with no real explanation. He was hesitant in his reaction and seemed uneasy with the question... I will admit that I was fishing for an answer, so any hesitation would seem exaggerated.

My point in all of this... the whole idea of blurring/blending the municipalities through funding by DHS is concerning.

Cop cars have been black and white and cops have been wearing black for 50 years

[star seed 7]

Yeah, but the cop was totally uneasy when some antisemitic idiot interrogated him about it!