Police Militarization Essay
Police Militarization: Domestic Terrorism While police militarization of law enforcement is deemed as necessary because of the fear and threat of terrorism, however a closer look should be taken to examine how police militarization has effected United States citizens often times harming, and sometimes killing innocent people. Modern American policing has become unnecessarily and dangerously militarized, in large part through federal programs that have armed state and local law enforcement agencies with the weapons and tactics of war, with almost no public discussion or oversight (American Civil Liberties Union). As a United States citizen imagine that you are at home and you family is sleeping, suddenly you are woken up in the middle of the
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SWAT teams are meant to handle the following situations opposing heavily armed criminals; performing hostage rescue and counter-terrorism operations; high risk arrests; and entering armored or barricaded buildings. SWAT teams were established in law enforcement to be a last resort in critical circumstances. SWAT teams are trained to use specialized firearms such as assault rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, sniper rifles, riot control gear, and stun grenades. Since SWAT teams initially creation in the 1960s, post 9/11 SWAT units have been increasing in the amount of deployments in the United States. As police agencies have become more militarized so has the so has the usage of SWAT teams. “Consider that in 1980, there were roughly 3,000 SWAT team-style raids in the US. By 2001, that number had grown to 45,000 and has since swelled to more than 80,000 SWAT team raids per year (Whitehead)”. Facts from the information gathered also relates to 79 percent of all SWAT raids are now deployed on privates homes in the United States, and 65 percent of deployments are forced entry by battering ram or explosive device. Also 62 percent of SWAT deployments in 2011-2012 are drug searches. Further research shows that in 36 percent of all SWAT raids for contraband are unsuccessful because no contraband is found on the residence. Add to this that 50 percent of SWAT raid victims are either black or Latino. Finally, the most surprising fact is that seven percent of all SWAT deployments are for hostage, or active shooter situations (American Civil Liberties
SWAT teams are meant to handle the following situations opposing heavily armed criminals; performing hostage rescue and counter-terrorism operations; high risk arrests; and entering armored or barricaded buildings. SWAT teams were established in law enforcement to be a last resort in critical circumstances. SWAT teams are trained to use specialized firearms such as assault rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, sniper rifles, riot control gear, and stun grenades. Since SWAT teams initially creation in the 1960s, post 9/11 SWAT units have been increasing in the amount of deployments in the United States. As police agencies have become more militarized so has the so has the usage of SWAT teams. “Consider that in 1980, there were roughly 3,000 SWAT team-style raids in the US. By 2001, that number had grown to 45,000 and has since swelled to more than 80,000 SWAT team raids per year (Whitehead)”. Facts from the information gathered also relates to 79 percent of all SWAT raids are now deployed on privates homes in the United States, and 65 percent of deployments are forced entry by battering ram or explosive device. Also 62 percent of SWAT deployments in 2011-2012 are drug searches. Further research shows that in 36 percent of all SWAT raids for contraband are unsuccessful because no contraband is found on the residence. Add to this that 50 percent of SWAT raid victims are either black or Latino. Finally, the most surprising fact is that seven percent of all SWAT deployments are for hostage, or active shooter situations (American Civil Liberties