Militarized police

[Tommyh]

i want one of those! where do i get it?!

[Tommyh]

Totally agree just trying to understand the need for DPS to own all of these boats when we have coast guard, Border Patrol, and Homeland Security! And yes I know they were paid for by found drug money.

because BP has been ordered to stand down, and the Coast Guard doesnt do river patrols?

[Tommyh]

People get caught up in the current us vs them mentality. They forget that local cops are citizens too. We're not "the fed", " the govt", etc. I'm just as concerned about rights as anyone. I won't take unconstitutional orders.

It was the same in the military, though I think there were some who would blindly follow whatever they were told.

this mentality was carried out in NoLa and is now being carried out in Ca, lawfully, with the caveat of a 21 day evaluation period.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/29/california-gun-violence-restraining-order-law-goin/

some erroneously.

http://www.breitbart.com/california/2016/02/08/guns-taken-from-wrong-people-under-ca-confiscation-laws/

While i agree that a vast majority of police would not follow the orders from federal agencies, we see it happening.

As far as the MRAPs are concerned, i think patrol cars need better protection like bullet proof glass, and no more 1 man patrols. the presence of additional personnel in a patrol car is a major game changer, and should be reconsidered.

[Tommyh]

I asked a LEO buddy of mine, who is "the gun guy" at the department, several years ago, probably around the time Obama was elected, what he would do if The Man was lined up at his door to take his guns, his answer, "you better hope anyone you love is at the back of the stack."

meaning rear man entering or at the back of the stack of papers to carry out confiscation? a little clarity here please.

[jshouse]

he meant the man at the back of the stack making entry into his home, I guess he figured he could get through a few of them before they got to him.

[Tommyh]

he meant the man at the back of the stack making entry into his home, I guess he figured he could get through a few of them before they got to him.

doesn't that go against the whole "you wont catch me taking anyone's guns away!" ?

[jshouse]

doesn't that go against the whole "you wont catch me taking anyone's guns away!" ?

hmmm, ok, here we go, my buddy, a police officer, was asked what he would do if the feds knocked on his door to take his guns, he inferred that he would go down shooting before he gave his guns up. seems to me like that's exactly the whole "you wont catch me taking anyones guns away" is it not?

both odd questions from you, are you drinking?

[Tommyh]

hmmm, ok, here we go, my buddy, a police officer, was asked what he would do if the feds knocked on his door to take his guns, he inferred that he would go down shooting before he gave his guns up. seems to me like that's exactly the whole "you wont catch me taking anyones guns away" is it not?

both odd questions from you, are you drinking?

okay i TOTALLY misread what you said the first time, and that is all my fault! I just went back and reread it with this clarification and BAM. it jumped out at me. thats why i was so confused. thanks for taking the time to clear it up, and being patient .

[jshouse]

Haha, I thought you were just being difficult

[Mike Javi Cooper]

My only complaint is that there is a time and a place to dress out in full black, pads, helmet, low rider holster and facemask pulled up and rollup in the APC....

The local diner or watering hole ain't it... Honest... can y'all really eat with the facemask pulled up...

[Ironman]

Violence is illegal.............for most.

[gunboy]

what everyone fails to realize is that our tax dollars have paid for this equipment and once the war in Iraq and Afghanistan ramped down there is a surplus. Would you rather our government destroy the equipment or give this equipment to countries that are our allies today just to be or enemies tomorrow as has happened in the past or "fall into the hands of ISIS" as was the case on Iraq. Remember guys our troops are being pulled out of the middle east and you are now seeing the attacks start up again in the west. Once we stop taking the fight to them the fight comes to us. Don't waste your time on conspiracy theories or "tools of the government to take away your guns" Most law enforcement are NRA members and believe in rights to own guns. Its best to keep it here and supply the guys who will be answering the call if and when the attack comes to you. Just my two cents.

[roaddawg]

this mentality was carried out in NoLa and is now being carried out in Ca, lawfully, with the caveat of a 21 day evaluation period.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/29/california-gun-violence-restraining-order-law-goin/

some erroneously.

http://www.breitbart.com/california/2016/02/08/guns-taken-from-wrong-people-under-ca-confiscation-laws/

While i agree that a vast majority of police would not follow the orders from federal agencies, we see it happening.

As far as the MRAPs are concerned, i think patrol cars need better protection like bullet proof glass, and no more 1 man patrols. the presence of additional personnel in a patrol car is a major game changer, and should be reconsidered.

I think a lot of people outside of the LE community don't realize how poor the budget situation usually is at most departments and in turn the equipment situation. I can assure you that probably every cop in the country would also like to have bullet proof glass in their unit and be able to work w/ a partner every night but unfortunately that's just not realistic. I think all officers should also be issued a rifle w/ a quality optic but most agencies simply don't have the funding to outfit and then train their people on these types of equipment.

I don't see the manpower issues with agencies getting better anytime soon either because if you are a young man or woman going thru college that may have been considering a career in LE, how motivated are you really gonna be to pursue that when cops are getting targeted and assassinated on an almost regular basis? And are also being shredded in the media anytime somebody records them putting hands on people whether the force was justified or not? I think the people that have always wanted to be the police since they were young will still be there but for other people that may have just been considering it as a potential career path I doubt they will try for it.

[Tommyh]

I think a lot of people outside of the LE community don't realize how poor the budget situation usually is at most departments and in turn the equipment situation. I can assure you that probably every cop in the country would also like to have bullet proof glass in their unit and be able to work w/ a partner every night but unfortunately that's just not realistic. I think all officers should also be issued a rifle w/ a quality optic but most agencies simply don't have the funding to outfit and then train their people on these types of equipment.

I don't see the manpower issues with agencies getting better anytime soon either because if you are a young man or woman going thru college that may have been considering a career in LE, how motivated are you really gonna be to pursue that when cops are getting targeted and assassinated on an almost regular basis? And are also being shredded in the media anytime somebody records them putting hands on people whether the force was justified or not? I think the people that have always wanted to be the police since they were young will still be there but for other people that may have just been considering it as a potential career path I doubt they will try for it.

cities have made it a priority to not fund the dept as appropriately needed, and would rather spend money on pet projects to get re-elected. this is one area where i have no qualms about raising taxes LOCALLY as long as the money is guaranteed to increase the budgets for new hires as well as equipment.

[Kodiakk]

Daniel and/or Tvc184, how do you think your department, your chief, your fellow officers would respond to "the government" telling them to start rounding up weapons in their neighborhoods?

I know. It's happened already when the bans came in on fully auto weapons and later the Clinton assault weapon ban. They just "did their jobs."

Those in power are not stupid. They know they just can't outright ban every gun. It's to much all at once. They will whittle away by banning one thing at a time then let the population get used to it then the next. Police will go right along with it as seen in the past.