In recent years, Police have been given additional budgets and weapons in order to do their jobs to the best of their ability and ensure domestic peace. The increased arsenal of weapons that police officers posses are intended for use in extreme instances of violence to suppress increased violence, such as riots, hostage situations, and others. However, in some cases, police are found using extreme measures of militarization in nonviolent situations. Police have every right to ensure their own safety in enforcing the law, but when they utilize extreme measures to enforce the law, such as apprehending suspects convicted in minor, nonviolent crimes their actions can cause negative consequences in society.
SWAT teams are one example of police militarization in cities that we see in the US. Their intended use has always been to suppress violence in extreme cases that necessitate a strong response force. In most instances, SWAT teams have been extremely effective in containing violent situations and limiting the spread of violent situations that would otherwise implement civilians. However, SWAT teams have been used in more recent occurrences for the purpose of containing nonviolent situations of civil crimes, such as drug enforcement, domestic disputes, and other nonthreatening situations. This is not to say that their methods aren't effective, but they are perceived as severe in instances of nonviolent issues.
The increased presence of police who possessed armored vehicles, grenade launchers, and high caliber arms and ammunition in the race riots in Fergusson Missouri led to many increased violence of the protesters. President Obama responded by revoking the ability for local police to use extreme measures in nonviolent instances. The events in Fergusson vividly displayed how Police Militarization can cause nonviolent protests become violent. Circumstances like this are delicate and have to be handled with strategic care, but when violent measures are used to contain civilians exercising their rights.
Police are responsible to ensure domestic peace. When this duty breaches civilian freedoms and implements excessive force society acts violently. Nonviolent acts of crime have the potential to become violent with the use of unnecessary force. Police Militarization has become a topic of interest in recent years, but there is a balance between ensuring peace, and the authorities "flexing their muscles" in response to crime. There is a lot of controversy surrounding this subject and there needs to be a lot of reforms on policy pertaining to this subject.
Joseph Lowe
Additional Readings:
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-s-cracking-down-militarization-local-police-n360381
http://www.policeone.com/militarization/articles/6390637-Police-militarization-and-one-cops-humble-opinion/
http://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2015/spring/aclu-militarization-of-police
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/05/21/the-biggest-question-about-police-militarization-obama-hasnt-answered/
SWAT teams are one example of police militarization in cities that we see in the US. Their intended use has always been to suppress violence in extreme cases that necessitate a strong response force. In most instances, SWAT teams have been extremely effective in containing violent situations and limiting the spread of violent situations that would otherwise implement civilians. However, SWAT teams have been used in more recent occurrences for the purpose of containing nonviolent situations of civil crimes, such as drug enforcement, domestic disputes, and other nonthreatening situations. This is not to say that their methods aren't effective, but they are perceived as severe in instances of nonviolent issues.
The increased presence of police who possessed armored vehicles, grenade launchers, and high caliber arms and ammunition in the race riots in Fergusson Missouri led to many increased violence of the protesters. President Obama responded by revoking the ability for local police to use extreme measures in nonviolent instances. The events in Fergusson vividly displayed how Police Militarization can cause nonviolent protests become violent. Circumstances like this are delicate and have to be handled with strategic care, but when violent measures are used to contain civilians exercising their rights.
Police are responsible to ensure domestic peace. When this duty breaches civilian freedoms and implements excessive force society acts violently. Nonviolent acts of crime have the potential to become violent with the use of unnecessary force. Police Militarization has become a topic of interest in recent years, but there is a balance between ensuring peace, and the authorities "flexing their muscles" in response to crime. There is a lot of controversy surrounding this subject and there needs to be a lot of reforms on policy pertaining to this subject.
Joseph Lowe
Additional Readings:
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-s-cracking-down-militarization-local-police-n360381
http://www.policeone.com/militarization/articles/6390637-Police-militarization-and-one-cops-humble-opinion/
http://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2015/spring/aclu-militarization-of-police
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/05/21/the-biggest-question-about-police-militarization-obama-hasnt-answered/