Church seeks to establish it's own police force.

[Cymrea]

"The Pontifical Swiss Guard (German: Päpstliche Schweizergarde; French: Garde suisse pontificale; Italian: Guardia Svizzera Pontificia; Latin: Pontificia Cohors Helvetica or Cohors Pedestris Helvetiorum a Sacra Custodia Pontificis) is an exception to the Swiss rulings of 1874 and 1927. A small force maintained by the Holy See, it is responsible for the safety of the Pope, including the security of the Apostolic Palace. The Swiss Guard serves as the de facto military of Vatican City."

It sounds more Secret Service than military. Unless the Secret Service is military. After all the Secret Service's job is to defend the President and the White House.

I imagine there's a secret service type unit of the Swiss Guard, or maybe it's a separate entity. American secret service is more law enforcement (with plenty of tactical training) than military.

[Purple Empire]

Nice article about the Swiss Guard and the vatican police:

http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-pope-has-a-small-but-deadly-army-of-elite-warriors-1733268646

[Pantorrum]

Doesn't the Vatican have its own police force?

The Vatican is its own state - its own country (more or less). The church down the end of the road does not get to claim the same thing - and it certainly does not get to have its own laws and internal judicial system.

So as long as the "church police" are just security guards, and are answerable to the laws of the land (and no other laws - such as blasphemy or "not suffering a witch to live" and so forth) and the judicial and legal system of the land then all is well.

God you people just like to drag everything out proportion. I feel like I'm watching MSNBC. They aren't asking to make Laws. They aren't asking for jurisdiction outside of the church. They are simply asking for a police force, which will enforce US law on US citizens in the church community. Since when is trying to get good citizens to follow the law such a bad thing? I'll tell you why all you left wingers think it's a bad thing. Because it's a Church that wants to make people follow the law. If it were some climate change organization asking for the right to arrest people who didn't believe in Climate Change, everybody on this site would be all over that.

[Alvecia]

The Vatican is its own state - its own country (more or less). The church down the end of the road does not get to claim the same thing - and it certainly does not get to have its own laws and internal judicial system.

So as long as the "church police" are just security guards, and are answerable to the laws of the land (and no other laws - such as blasphemy or "not suffering a witch to live" and so forth) and the judicial and legal system of the land then all is well.

God you people just like to drag everything out proportion. I feel like I'm watching MSNBC. They aren't asking to make Laws. They aren't asking for jurisdiction outside of the church. They are simply asking for a police force, which will enforce US law on US citizens in the church community. Since when is trying to get good citizens to follow the law such a bad thing? I'll tell you why all you left wingers think it's a bad thing. Because it's a Church that wants to make people follow the law. If it were some climate change organization asking for the right to arrest people who didn't believe in Climate Change, everybody on this site would be all over that.

There's already an organisation to do that. The police. Who don't have any extra ties or responsibilities to the Church in question. Use them.

[Ifreann]

The halberds, while quite deadly regardless of their anachronism, are ceremonial. They also have some very sophisticated modern weaponry and tech at their disposal.

Yea if your enemy is unarmed because if not then most likely you dead.

Rather depends what you're armed with, I imagine.

---

Well, the best of the Catholics.

well yea.

adding to that it's very sad that they don't take soldiers from different countries.

Vatican's not big on reversing old traditions to be more inclusive.

[Pantorrum]

God you people just like to drag everything out proportion. I feel like I'm watching MSNBC. They aren't asking to make Laws. They aren't asking for jurisdiction outside of the church. They are simply asking for a police force, which will enforce US law on US citizens in the church community. Since when is trying to get good citizens to follow the law such a bad thing? I'll tell you why all you left wingers think it's a bad thing. Because it's a Church that wants to make people follow the law. If it were some climate change organization asking for the right to arrest people who didn't believe in Climate Change, everybody on this site would be all over that.

There's already an organisation to do that. The police. Who don't have any extra ties or responsibilities to the Chirch in question. Use them.

The police can only do so much, and they can only be in so many places. There are a lot of crimes that go I caught because average Americans can't do anything. It's kinda as stupid as the argument that people shouldn't have guns because the police can protect them. I think people should be happy about this. Its normal Americans wanting to enforce American law. Probably because there is only one police officer for every 800 people and they don't feel that's good enough.

[Alvecia]

There's already an organisation to do that. The police. Who don't have any extra ties or responsibilities to the Chirch in question. Use them.

The police can only do so much, and they can only be in so many places. There are a lot of crimes that go I caught because average Americans can't do anything. It's kinda as stupid as the argument that people shouldn't have guns because the police can protect them. I think people should be happy about this. Its normal Americans wanting to enforce American law. Probably because there is only one police officer for every 800 people and they don't feel that's good enough.

Perhaps then more effort should be put into improving the police and/or solving the causes of crime.

[Cymrea]

There's already an organisation to do that. The police. Who don't have any extra ties or responsibilities to the Chirch in question. Use them.

The police can only do so much, and they can only be in so many places. There are a lot of crimes that go I caught because average Americans can't do anything. It's kinda as stupid as the argument that people shouldn't have guns because the police can protect them. I think people should be happy about this. Its normal Americans wanting to enforce American law. Probably because there is only one police officer for every 800 people and they don't feel that's good enough.

So hire more police. It's essentially what you're doing by creating a church police and therefore unnecessary.

[Dylar]

Yea if your enemy is unarmed because if not then most likely you dead.

Rather depends what you're armed with, I imagine.

---

well yea.

adding to that it's very sad that they don't take soldiers from different countries.

Vatican's not big on reversing old traditions to be more inclusive.

To be fair, though, would you rather have people of the same religion as you protecting your religious leader, or would you want non-believers to protect your religious leader? As for the rule that you have to be a citizen of Switzerland, I think that's stupid. Well, we could always ask the Pope if we can create the American Guard to add to his little army.

[Uxupox]

Rather depends what you're armed with, I imagine.

---

Vatican's not big on reversing old traditions to be more inclusive.

To be fair, though, would you rather have people of the same religion as you protecting your religious leader, or would you want non-believers to protect your religious leader? As for the rule that you have to be a citizen of Switzerland, I think that's stupid. Well, we could always ask the Pope if we can create the American Guard to add to his little army.

The United States is already equipped with several honor or ceremonial guards.

[Purple Empire]

To be fair, though, would you rather have people of the same religion as you protecting your religious leader, or would you want non-believers to protect your religious leader? As for the rule that you have to be a citizen of Switzerland, I think that's stupid. Well, we could always ask the Pope if we can create the American Guard to add to his little army.

The United States is already equipped with several honor or ceremonial guards.

Maybe he meant an American Guard to protect the Pope.

[Uxupox]

The United States is already equipped with several honor or ceremonial guards.

Maybe he meant an American Guard to protect the Pope.

Which already exists to either protect the tombs among other many things.

[Dylar]

Maybe he meant an American Guard to protect the Pope.

Which already exists to either protect the tombs among other many things.

But not the Pope. So, let's get some troops, or Secret Servicemen, send them to the Vatican, and go protect the Pope and the entire Vatican state.

Edit: With the Pope's permission, of course.

[Uxupox]

Which already exists to either protect the tombs among other many things.

But not the Pope. So, let's get some troops, or Secret Servicemen, send them to the Vatican, and go protect the Pope and the entire Vatican state.

Only volunteers among other requierements.

[Dylar]

But not the Pope. So, let's get some troops, or Secret Servicemen, send them to the Vatican, and go protect the Pope and the entire Vatican state.

Only volunteers among other requierements.

And they gotta be Catholic

[Pope Joan]

Why not just hire your own security force? I think this is about a church trying to get the government to pay for a private security service, in effect.

[Hurdergaryp]

Why not just hire your own security force? I think this is about a church trying to get the government to pay for a private security service, in effect.

As if not having to pay taxes wasn't clemency enough, now they want the taxpayers to fund their private police force?

[Dumb Ideologies]

These cultists suck. By announcing it rather than just starting doing it we all know now to expect their inquisition.

[Jamzmania]

Why not just hire your own security force? I think this is about a church trying to get the government to pay for a private security service, in effect.

As if not having to pay taxes wasn't clemency enough, now they want the taxpayers to fund their private police force?

Will the taxpayers pay for it? I was under the impression it would be funded by the church.

[Alvecia]

As if not having to pay taxes wasn't clemency enough, now they want the taxpayers to fund their private police force?

Will the taxpayers pay for it? I was under the impression it would be funded by the church.

Arguably worse. Not only are they going to be under the leadership of the Church, they're also going to the ones paying their wages.

[Jamzmania]

Will the taxpayers pay for it? I was under the impression it would be funded by the church.

Arguably worse. Not only are they going to be under the leadership of the Church, they're also going to the ones paying their wages.

Isn't this how every police department works? Universities, hospitals, etc.? They are funded by the organization which created it?

[Alvecia]

Arguably worse. Not only are they going to be under the leadership of the Church, they're also going to the ones paying their wages.

Isn't this how every police department works? Universities, hospitals, etc.? They are funded by the organization which created it?

The police here in the UK are funded by the state, as they should be. Private organisations should have no hold over law enforcement.

[The Rich Port]

Arguably worse. Not only are they going to be under the leadership of the Church, they're also going to the ones paying their wages.

Isn't this how every police department works? Universities, hospitals, etc.? They are funded by the organization which created it?

... No. Police officers are paid with tax payer money.

SECURITY GUARDS are the ones paid private wages, and they are subject to external regulation, not internal regulation.

[Jamzmania]

Isn't this how every police department works? Universities, hospitals, etc.? They are funded by the organization which created it?

... No. Police officers are paid with tax payer money.

SECURITY GUARDS are the ones paid private wages, and they are subject to external regulation, not internal regulation.

I'm not talking about state or municipal police departments.

[Alvecia]

... No. Police officers are paid with tax payer money.

SECURITY GUARDS are the ones paid private wages, and they are subject to external regulation, not internal regulation.

I'm not talking about state or municipal police departments.

I don't think there should be any other kinds of police departments.