Are the US police militarizing?

[Araluen and Eyreland]

Due to recent unrest orbiting the police, including the violence in Ferguson, Missouri, and the growing number of SWAT teams nationwide, I want to know what you think.

Are the police of the US militarizing, and if they are, is it unnecessary? And since when?

Try to keep this just to US citizens, and take an unbiased view.

[The Serbian Empire]

Yes, and it was 9/11 which caused this.

[The Black Forrest]

Aren't police para-military?

Considering the firepower available these days; why shouldn't the police have comparable weapons?

[Lingang]

After fucking 9/11. Curse the bastards that caused that attack....

[The Sotoan Union]

Are their riots to put down?

[Blazedtown]

After fucking 9/11. Curse the bastards that caused that attack....

You mean carried out right?

[Benuty]

They have been militarizing for quite some time.

[Roski]

Yes, and its a good thing too.

The problem with our Police is this, they aren't very scary.

Seriously, you have an M9 with 9 rounds in it. The average violent criminal shown on the news has a fully automatic or semi-automatic weapon with 10-30 rounds.

[Grand Russian Federation]

Yes, and it was 9/11 which caused this.

Well, being a non-terrorist kind of guy, the terrorists succeeded. They made us resort to these measures.

[Araluen and Eyreland]

Aren't police para-military?

Considering the firepower available these days; why shouldn't the police have comparable weapons?

In my opinion, the police are there to keep peace, and I'm not an idiot, so I know that they need guns to do that, but some military grade weapons should be restricted to only the military. I know that some police forces have armored vehicles, and that seems excessive.

[The Sotoan Union]

Yes, and its a good thing too.

The problem with our Police is this, they aren't very scary.

Seriously, you have an M9 with 9 rounds in it. The average violent criminal shown on the news has a fully automatic or semi-automatic weapon with 10-30 rounds.

I don't want your average cop to have an assault rifle. Besides SWAT teams still have those, and they are only called when they are needed. That way the cop who pulls you over doesn't have an assault rifle.

[North Arkana]

in order for the police to retain any semblance of authority these days they need to be more heavily armed the the civilian populace. looking at the current weapons available to civilians in many parts of the US, it's no wonder police show up with body armor, assault rifles, and armored vehicles. when civilians have access to military grade weapons (despite groups like the NRA saying otherwise, civilian AR-15s are nothing more than semi-automatic M-16s) the police have the right to bear military grade weaponry as well.

[The Land Fomerly Known as Ligerplace]

Yes, and its a good thing too.

The problem with our Police is this, they aren't very scary.

Seriously, you have an M9 with 9 rounds in it. The average violent criminal shown on the news has a fully automatic or semi-automatic weapon with 10-30 rounds.

That is so far from the problem i don't even...

Didn't the Ferguson incident just disprove that?

[The Sotoan Union]

Aren't police para-military?

Considering the firepower available these days; why shouldn't the police have comparable weapons?

Your average cop doesn't need much firepower. That is what SWAT is for.

[The Land Fomerly Known as Ligerplace]

Aren't police para-military?

Considering the firepower available these days; why shouldn't the police have comparable weapons?

Your average cop doesn't need much firepower. That is what SWAT is for.

This, for the love of Christ.

[Araluen and Eyreland]

Yes, and its a good thing too.

The problem with our Police is this, they aren't very scary.

Seriously, you have an M9 with 9 rounds in it. The average violent criminal shown on the news has a fully automatic or semi-automatic weapon with 10-30 rounds.

Remember, criminals don't care who they hurt, while police are there to protect people.

The ones who do their job anyway, not the jackasses who throw their weight around.

[The Orson Empire]

Yes, they are.

In fact, it is surprisingly easy to obtain military equipment. The government essentially gives it out to police forces for free.

[Roski]

Yes, and its a good thing too.

The problem with our Police is this, they aren't very scary.

Seriously, you have an M9 with 9 rounds in it. The average violent criminal shown on the news has a fully automatic or semi-automatic weapon with 10-30 rounds.

Remember, criminals don't care who they hurt, while police are there to protect people.

The ones who do their job anyway, not the jackasses who throw their weight around.

Giving a cop an AR-15 would scare the fuck out of some criminals.

[Grand Russian Federation]

Aren't police para-military?

Considering the firepower available these days; why shouldn't the police have comparable weapons?

Your average cop doesn't need much firepower. That is what SWAT is for.

Plus, you can kill (if you are lucky) with just a single shot. 2 or more, your criminal is most likely out of action, if not killed.

[Roski]

Yes, and its a good thing too.

The problem with our Police is this, they aren't very scary.

Seriously, you have an M9 with 9 rounds in it. The average violent criminal shown on the news has a fully automatic or semi-automatic weapon with 10-30 rounds.

That is so far from the problem i don't even...

Didn't the Ferguson incident just disprove that?

I'm not delving into Ferguson because the rioters are being racist, and that's not what this thread is about.

[The Serbian Empire]

Yes, and it was 9/11 which caused this.

Well, being a non-terrorist kind of guy, the terrorists succeeded. They made us resort to these measures.

We should have scorched the earth in places like Saudi Arabia destroying their oil wells as a result of the terror attacks from their nationals. Al Qaeda was a product of Saudi Wahhabists with too much money throwing their money to terrorists to spread Islam's wrath. Take away their money and destroy their economy and it would have never happened again.

[The Orson Empire]

That is so far from the problem i don't even...

Didn't the Ferguson incident just disprove that?

I'm not delving into Ferguson because the rioters are being racist, and that's not what this thread is about.

This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. How in the fuck are the rioters racist?!

[The Sotoan Union]

Well, being a non-terrorist kind of guy, the terrorists succeeded. They made us resort to these measures.

We should have scorched the earth in places like Saudi Arabia destroying their oil wells as a result of the terror attacks from their nationals. Al Qaeda was a product of Saudi Wahhabists with too much money throwing their money to terrorists to spread Islam's wrath. Take away their money and destroy their economy and it would have never happened again.

Yeah let's attack Saudi Arabia, our long time ally, with eco-terrorism no less.

[Araluen and Eyreland]

Remember, criminals don't care who they hurt, while police are there to protect people.

The ones who do their job anyway, not the jackasses who throw their weight around.

Giving a cop an AR-15 would scare the fuck out of some criminals.

A normal cop doesn't need that though. That's what SWAT is for.

You imagine if a cop pulled you over and had an AR-15?

[The Orson Empire]

Well, being a non-terrorist kind of guy, the terrorists succeeded. They made us resort to these measures.

We should have scorched the earth in places like Saudi Arabia destroying their oil wells as a result of the terror attacks from their nationals. Al Qaeda was a product of Saudi Wahhabists with too much money throwing their money to terrorists to spread Islam's wrath. Take away their money and destroy their economy and it would have never happened again.

You do know that doing that would have crippled the world's oil supply, right?

This is why it is good to think before typing out stupid ideas.