Lawmakers aim to curb military surplus program for police after Ferguson

[323MAR]

I am not worried about local LE being heavily armed. The Federal government is more of a concern. They are always looking to undermine the rights of citizens and throw cops in jail.

 

[freedive10]

Aha! The cop-hater card. Always wondered if that was as effective as the race card.

Sadly, the latter is more likely than the former.

How about maybe you think about being in ta2d_cop position and have to worry about making it home every night to your family. Maybe your perspective would change.

 

[Leonidas]

How many incidents before we afford citizens the ability to protect themselves with the appropriate defense.

 

[Vsotok10]

Everyone in America today who works in harm's way deserves as much protection as possible. I would gladly pay an additional tax to provide every LEO with the best armor money could buy IF and ONLY IF that armor came with a body camera system. With great power comes great responsibility.

 

[freedive10]

The number of incidents high or low will not help us citizens in obtaining the "appropriate defense". We as American citizens need to be more pro-active in the politics that we vote on and organizations that champion our cause. LEO is there for us citizens and it would do us no good to cut the legs out from under them. We average American citizens believe the power afforded to us by the forefathers is gone. WRONG, it is still there; we just need to finally wake up and remember how it works and what we need to do to push our agendas forward. The federal government should fear its people but unfortunately it has been the other way around for a long time.

 

[madwabbit]

The biggest reason you're seeing more of these is because depts have a choice to make in the budget. When military surplus is literally being given away for pennies, it seems like an irresponsible use of tax dollars to ignore the best equipment for the cheapest dollar. I also consider it an irresponsible use of tax dollars for law enforcement agencies to not have an "answer" for the emergencies we are seeing more and more often: active shooters, riots, etc.

as stated above, I'm not going to an active shooter without my rifle and I'm not going on duty without my armor. Why do cops need AR15's in their unit? If someone is shooting up your child's school or your wife's office, would you prefer that I drive to the PD, unlock my firearm, load it, get back into my unit then drive to their location?"


No, I don't want to see tanks and choppers in my town either, but I dang sure don't want something to go south fast and the law enforcement agency responsible say "well we never figured we'd need one of those. We didn't have any way to stop -whateverbadthinghappened- "

to make my point further:

You can thank these two below for the militarization of modern police forces. They alone showed ALL of America's police where they were vulnerable and unprepared. It did not go unnoticed!

 

[Armed Mage]

I've been razzing a few cops I know about even wearing their soft armor.

 

[madwabbit]

This

I have no problem with police having soft armor. That is just common sense.

then this...

I've been razzing a few cops I know about even wearing their soft armor.

Senator Feinstein, is that you?

 

[Kraut]

I'm loading up a bus of volunteers to go quell the rioting in Ferguson. Soft body armor only, no Level III, no rifle plates. Handguns only, 9mm or .38 Special, no other calibers allowed. Shotguns for supervisors only, absolutely no rifles. Slick-soled "dress shoes," class A uniform with ties, hats, and ribbons/medals (gotta look all "police-ey" for the media). I expect all those members here expressing objection to appropriate weaponry and safety gear to be first in line to board. No, the bus isn't armored, it's an old Blue Bird with half the windows stuck in the down position. Per the Op Plan, EMS and Fire will stage and not enter the riot zone to give you aid or douse the Molotov burning your polyester blend uniform shirt until the scene is secured.

"DERE DEY GO! DERE DEY GO! Every time I start talkin' 'bout school shootins somebody got to pull no-knock warrants out dere ass! Dat's dere thing, dat's dere thing! No-knock warrants, no-knock warrants! Let me tell you something once and for all! No-knock warrants are bad, but compared to school shootins, no-knock warrants ain't ****!"

 

[ctrues]

I don't have any problem with police or government agencies being armed to perform their jobs as long as responsible law abiding citizens be afforded the same privileges. I truly believe that this was the intent that our Founding Fathers had when writing the 2nd Ammendment, in that government (including police) must be held in check by the citizens lest the citizens fall victim to an oppressive government.
Sorry to you LEO's out there but you do swear an oath to enforce the laws and honor and protect the Constitution. While I agree that you have a tough job and that you want to go home to your family at the end of your shift, so do the teachers, the nurses, store clerks and others out there. We also want to protect our families as well as our God given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Throughout history, man has fallen victim to heinous crimes perpetrated on them by seemingly protective governments. Because of this we as citizens not only have the right to bear arms, WE HAVE THE DUTY to hold government in check and preserve all of our God given rights afforded to us in our Constitution for future generations.

 

[Leonidas]

15 school shootings last year.

80,000 no-knock warrants. (that's one thousand six hundred every week)


I think schools should add a course to the curriculum:

"Surviving a SWAT Raid, You Don't Want to Be No Stinking Statistic"

All joking aside. Officers get training, rehearse, and have tons of experience in these high energy situations. Citizens should receive similar training so they know what innocent things they do when scared out of their wits can get them killed.

 

[Hitman]

Also funny how any reduction of government authority or spending
is now being classified as far right.

It's only kosher when talking about Big Gov.,
you know the one we can't really see or touch
b/c it's far far away in wonder land.

If you sling that cut talk towards small gov....the SHTF.

Again, the MRAPs are free.

I wish....

IF and ONLY IF that armor came with a body camera system.
With great power comes great responsibility.

...and I think that's what you're seeing here today. With Great Power, more Armament
the Law Enforcement Community is being put under the microscope, and rightfully so.

That's the nature of more power and authority....more responsibility and accountability.

What's wrong with that?


/

 

[Who dat]

While I agree that you have a tough job and that you want to go home to your family at the end of your shift, so do the teachers, the nurses, store clerks and others out there. We also want to protect our families as well.

The difference is that LEO's put their life on the line everyday to protect YOU and all of us. They are the line between complete anarchy and you going to see a movie with your family tonight. Because if that, I want them to have plate carriers as an option on high risk situations, armored vehicles to have a safe place to hide during a high risk situation and M4's to level the playing field. Get the tin foil off your heads and stop being a media pawn.

 

[Leonidas]

Hey, no fair. I want to be a media pawn, too.

 

[WOLFIE]

As a peace officer, I have a few questions. Should police be banned from using AR15 rifles on duty? The rifle is an offensive weapon and it looks like and is very similar to a military weapon. Should police be banned from using flashbang grenades? Should swat uniforms be banned? There are some people who think police officers in general represent an oppressive govermnent. Why is that?

I have never and will never start my work shift with the mindset of "How many law abiding citizens can I make miserable today? I always oppress someone on Friday and today is Friday.". If the swat outfit as a whole including the trauma plate is intimidating and causes a hostage taker (the criminal) to think "I am going to lose against these guys." and the criminal surrenders without violence......Not bad police work.

 

[madwabbit]

Sorry to you LEO's out there but you do swear an oath to enforce the laws and honor and protect the Constitution.

Why does that make you sorry? I was proud to take that oath.

While I agree that you have a tough job and that you want to go home to your family at the end of your shift, so do the teachers, the nurses, store clerks and others out there.

How many times per day will those professions wrestle felons or have knives or guns pulled on them? Whose job is it to protect teachers nurses and store clerks from violent offenders again? I'll reiterate. If the store clerk dials 911, who shows up?

We also want to protect our families as well as our God given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Throughout history, man has fallen victim to heinous crimes perpetrated on them by seemingly protective governments. Because of this we as citizens not only have the right to bear arms, WE HAVE THE DUTY to hold government in check and preserve all of our God given rights afforded to us in our Constitution for future generations.

I'm not a "big government" guy, but as (ignorantly) stated above by someone else, your local leo does not report to anyone at federal level. Orders given in violation of the Constitution are invalid orders. Not sure what anything in the rest of your post has to do with anything, but hooray and good job?

 

[ctrues]

I never said that local police are under the feds but the feds do have law enforcement bodies. In addition there is still the local municipal gov. The regional parish/county, the State, the federal and foreign. All of which is arguing b.s. that I never was pointing out. The fact remains that citizens have the right to possess firearms and the main point of that provision in the Constitution was to protect themselves from government. Like it or not the police fall under one of these forms of government.

As to police having a more dangerous job than other occupations therefore should have more protection. My point was not to say you did not have a dangerous job. The fact remains that no matter what your occupation, law enforcement is reactionary (IN GENERAL) towards crime. In this I feel that store clerks, teachers, janitors, stay at home moms etc. have the right to defend themselves from a threat while waiting the 2 to 30 minutes for the police to show up whether it is at home or away from home. Additionally, by your standards of having a more dangerous job qualifying you for more firepower. I guess that people living in those high crime areas that are law abiding citizens but face shootings on there streets ROUTINELY should be allowed body armor and ar's. Meanwhile police in podunk Mayberry with little incidents of violent crime should be limited in what they may be issued.

I feel that police should have body armor, ar-15s, high power rifles, assault vests, etc. I just believe that the law abiding citizens should have access to these as well. I also do not feel that police are out running around violating the Constitution but history shows that governments change, sheeple follow these governments and oppression follows. No I am not saying that is happening here. I am just pointing out again that the 2nd Amendment is there to prevent this. Damn Ya'll twist an argument and take it personal.

 

[madwabbit]

I never said that local police are under the feds but the feds do have law enforcement bodies. In addition there is still the local municipal gov. The regional parish/county, the State, the federal and foreign. All of which is arguing b.s. that I never was pointing out. The fact remains that citizens have the right to possess firearms and the main point of that provision in the Constitution was to protect themselves from government..
As to police having a more dangerous job than other occupations therefore should have more protection. My point was not to say you did not have a dangerous job. The fact remains that no matter what your occupation, law enforcement is reactionary (IN GENERAL) towards crime. In this I feel that store clerks, teachers, janitors, stay at home moms etc. have the right to defend themselves from a threat while waiting the 2 to 30 minutes for the police to show up whether it is at home or away from home.

Agreed! I don't argue or disagree with anything in this post. It's not like we are all fighting over who gets the last gun... there's enough to go around. lol

 

[Vsotok10]

Agreed! I don't argue or disagree with anything in this post. It's not like we are all fighting over who gets the last gun... there's enough to go around. lol

I just want an MRAP for the deer camp, thats all.

 

[freedive10]

I would love to know how many members have a current membership to the NRA or the LSA. You want the same rights to have the same protection? Do something about it. Any of you as citizens can go to the state Legislature when in session and voice your opinion. I am as guilty as the majority on here and feel like I have not done enough.