Police Militarization In The United States

Law enforcement officers are a vital part of our communities. They play an important role in the safety of the citizens across the country. Given this, the increasing amount of militarization of police and the increase in paramilitary police units has called for reform across the nation. Evaluating the appropriate use for these units, including proper roles and deployment conditions, are valuable points of reform. Additionally, viewing the impact on the relationship between society and police, as well as consequences of the elevated number of paramilitary police units in the country are valuable sources of insight regarding reformation. Recommendations in establishing an equilibrium between liberty and security, in regards to the Bill of Rights,
This trend has been growing since the 1980s. According to the study done by Peter Kraska and Victor Kappeler in the 1990s, the militarization of police had increased exponentially from the 1980s into the late 1990s. If the growth is following this same pattern, current police militarization is continually on the rise. Some factors that contribute to this increase can be larger threats across the world from terror groups, such as ISIS, or from growing violent crime rates in the United States. Many organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, believe that the growing militarization of police is a threat to the freedoms of American citizens (“Police Militarization”). These organizations fight to promote awareness of this trend, and they work to spread the word of one’s rights within the justice system. Awareness of police militarization is the first step in ensuring this practice receives adequate attention to promote
Paramilitary policing has dramatically altered the relationship between the police and the general public. As stated previously, these feelings can cause a sense of unrest between the police and citizens they serve to protect. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, paramilitary is defined as “of, relating to, being, or characteristic of a force formed on a military pattern especially as a potential auxiliary military force.” By this definition, one can better understand the concern that surrounds the militarization of police officers in the United States. The public has begun to fear the police, rather than feel safe in their presence. The public feels threatened and/or attacked by police officers dressed in military grade clothing, sporting military grade weapons. Intimidation is also felt throughout society when they see police officers that resemble soldiers in military vehicles patrolling their