What some are calling a controversial move by the Trump administration others are calling a life-saving decision for the men and women who serve as police officers protecting the streets of our nation.
In 2015 then President Barack Obama issued an executive order that halted the transfer of surplus gear from our nations' military to any police force. This included items such as armored vehicles, grenade launchers, high-caliber weapons and camouflage uniforms. This order came directly following the controversy over the “militarization” of the police response to unrest in Ferguson, Missouri.
“These guidelines were created after Ferguson to ensure that police departments had a guardian, not warrior, mentality,” said Vanita Gupta, former head of DOJ's civil rights division under Obama and who now leads the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “Our communities are not the same as armed combatants in a war zone.”
There are many ways that we can look at this situation. The National Fraternal Order of Police have some strong words about the prior administrations' decision and how this new change will affect our local police departments. So let's take a look at what the head of the NFOP and others had to say about this matter.
Next Page »
David Mustain you’re free to buy as many guns as you’d like. No one says you can’t and no one’s trying to take them. Police officers are people that just want to go home at the end of their shift
It is totally illegal for the military to harm a citizen
I don’t see anyone bitching about the MRAPS being used to rescue citizens after Harvey. This equipment goes to local cops, your friends and neighbors not some goons.
Maybe you folks can see what the police see doing in TX and then you can get back to me.
As an American, I am proudly anti law enforcement.
FYI- If you served in the military you would know the correct tactical actions that can be taken to counter any so called government confiscation of your property. Then again I do not see the Trump administration going for our guns. That could happen if the Democrats ever got the White House
And guess what? So were our forefathers.
how about we just start hire all the police officers and teach them full military tactics…
That’s fine Justin Cole, but I’ll bet you follow the law.
John Karuza I don’t think you need to serve in the military to know how to adequately defend your home and property. This is aimed at future administrations who will certainly love to have them.
A lot are already ex military. #backtheblue
The forefathers, including Alexander Hamilton, as written in the federalist papers, were against having a standing military and most certainly having a military with such a firepower that they could not be easily stopped by the citizenry. This concept is no different than with the police.
Where I live the police represent .5% of the towns population. So unless the get cluster bombs, death rays, or magic force fields the odds will never be in their favor no matter what type of hardware they get so hell I’m not about to lose any sleep of this.
Sounds great until you read the eo’s for yourself.
never assume our military will support a global agenda and communist takeover, they know what is happening.
You folks can hate cops all your little hearts desire. Don’t be hypocrits though. Make sure to judge every group based on the actions of a few.
If I can get military gear, they deserve military gear. Just saying.
I would love to know what parts you didn’t like?
For those who cry…wtf did you expect was gonna happen?
Douglas Oscar My family has paid the price for having criminals with badges in the family. We are no longer safe from the consequences of one man’s actions who thought he was the law.
Damn people they’re not getting f****** shoulder-fired missiles , tanks and 8 A10 warthogs. They are getting used vehicles that can be put to use for Rescue and for SWAT and equipment like night vision which is too expensive for most departments to to buy.
Chuck Snyder worse things have happened in history from people “just following orders”.
Like I said. Make sure you apply your logic of ” they’re all bad because of a few ” to every group. Don’t be hypocrits
Posse Comitatus prevents the use of the military on U.S. soil.
Eric Richmond being a member of the UN, UN troops might be another story.
Eric Richmond laws and amendments have never stopped a tyrannical government from acting. It’s just a piece of paper.
I don’t agree that our police force is being armed as a military force . If it is that bad call out the national guard . We don’t need a police state .
Though there may be some instances of LE participating in confiscation schemes, it is by far not a foregone conclusion that all LE will go along with such actions.
Brian Binkley not all will, but enough will. LE is already enforcing dumb laws that trample on a person’s rights, why stop there?
I can see protecting the lives of our officers from blm,murders, isis-agents, and people shooting at you. But don’t use them to disperse rallyers, bust up drug houses,or on non-violent individuals.
Yeah, let’s call the national guard and wait while the criminals get away
Posse comitatus lost its potency after the patriot act and the NDAA2012.
Have you ever seen some of the fire power taken out of a drug house ?
So because only one in 200 people in your town are cops, the entire U.S. should have a militarized police force which would have the means to kill, brutalize, and subjugate the people they’re supposed to he protecting?
How about lifting the ban for normal citizens also
Chuck Snyder It’s the U.S. military on U.S. soil. Anything else is an invasion.
Not saying that at all , do you think the police need tanks rocket launcher , etc ?
Shoulda know’d it were com’n soon, to many cops, firemen & other first responders get’n ambushed unnecessarily. Hate ta see ’em with that much power, but the unthinking morons what’s kill’n ’em brought it to us.
Ummmm pretty sure they already have weapons that could do that. Oh and that ratio is also probably pretty close everywhere. Armed citizens FAAAAR outnumber the police any day.
I don’t believe it’s fair to label pro constitution with anti cop.
Learn about guns dude. Fully automatic firearms are only good for surpressing fire and killing crowds of people. In an armed standoff, police forces would have more cover, more men and therefore more firepower, and the advantage of sniper cover and aerial superiority and that’s without having tanks, grenade launcher, or fully automatic firearms. Half a dozen bank robbers with full auto AKs wouldn’t stand a chance, and besides, why would you want the police to have wildly inaccurate fully automatic rifles in a situation where there’s probably lots of hostages?
Many police officers are members of unorganized militia groups that support and defend the constitution.
Up till now, i have supported Pres. Trump. When the police are equipped with weapons of war, then war is what we will end up with. Sad day in America.
Doesn’t then the second amendment open this up for public too
So alot of officers are ex military…how does that justify arming police officers with military hardware? Last I checked, the government wasn’t at war with it’s people.
I follow the law because you’ll throw me in a rape cage if I don’t. Heroic law enforcement saving lives….one window tint ticket at a time.
Douglas Oscar I have . I’m not defending the criminals either- they know they are wrong !!
Last I checked, the criminals don’t give two shits about the law. The police deserve to outgun the criminals and have the gear to protect themselves.
You can’t get military gear, at least not without jumping through alot of expensive hoops or commiting felonies. Go buy a fully automatic rifles or a fully functional tank.
Not all constitutionalist are anti cop, and not all cops are anti constitution.