Been pondering this one for awhile, thought I'd throw it out to see what swims out here.
I know a guy that is a LEO out in Cow-town USA. This town may have 5-10,000 people in it at best and is hours away from major cities. He has gone through extensive training with SWAT units, special tactics units, and special this, special that. The latest? Sniper training. The department he works for has an arsenal that would blow your mind.......
WHY?
You think it's for the average drunk driver or occasional convenience store thief or a domestic dispute they get out in the cornfields of America or is there a hidden agenda? Why is it that everywhere across this country small towns are providing this level of training for their LEOs and outfitting them with serious equipment nothing short of up to date military training and equipment? I have a sneaking suspicion of why, but then again I may not be seeing things clearly with all this tin on my head.
What do you think?
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I think it's better safe than sorry. Fortunate for us, most criminal elements don't pose a grave danger to the public at large, but one massacre is one too many. The first responders in Littleton were not well-prepared for the situation they encountered. And now we have to worry about organized terrorism on our soil.
I have no problem with LEO's receiving advanced training and weaponry; it's the citizens' rights I'm worried about. As long as I have the firepower I need to defend myself and my family, I'm not concerned by the police. However, if they get keep getting more while we keep getting less, that's a tremendous problem.
badshot--you would be surprised at where many--if not MOST of the national gangs are now setting up home bases. The little out-of-the-way towns and hamlets where they won't be noticed are ideal for them.
My own county was a farm rich, rural area not very long ago. Homicides were almost unheard of and many people never locked their doors. In the past 20 years, I've seen the local jail population increase 5 fold, violent crime has increased dramatically, homicides aren't rare anymore, drugs are prevalent and shootings common. This place is anytown USA.
By thinking that it's a small town with no real criminal activity means there's no need for training is short-sighted. Being ready is very important and can sometimes help to head off criminal activity if they think that the police there are up to the task.
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This is an excellent question badshotbob. There are many reasons why this is occurring but here are just a few that may help explain this trend in local L.E.
1. Columbine School Shooting--Most people may not realize it but this was a HUGE wake-up call for police agencies all across the country. These weren't foreign terrorists, hardened drug cartel criminals or gangbangers--They were just 2 school kids who were tired of being picked on and wanted to get even with other kids. These kids had bombs, boobytraps and different guns. Schoolkids died and police did not like how that felt at all. You can say all you want about how police don't have a duty to protect people but that argument fades fast when you're talking about peoples' kids in a school. Just about every department closely studied the police after-action critiques and most began to impliment the recommended training and weapons additions. Simply put, we needed that kind of training and those kinds of weapons to increase our odds for survival and saving kids if another Coloumbine occurred.
2. SWAT--This isn't a new concept and has been around since the late 60's/early 70's when police realized they didn't have the training, weapons or resources to appropriately handle large demonstrations, riots, barricaded suspects, hostage incidents and many other situations. Since then, we have added armored drug dealing crack houses, meth labs, bombs and all kinds of crazy situations and incidents when just local law enforcement is not gonna be enough to properly handle it. It's not that the local cops can't do the job. they can. Once they receive the appropriate additional training, weapons and resources.
3. Gangs--While most gangs are still using regular weapons like pistols and shotguns, they have large #'s at times and pose a threat to just a few beat officers when it's time to serve arrest warrants, etc. Many gangs have plans on how to ambush cops if they come to tehir houses and often fortify their houses. most agencies prefer to use SWAT teams to make these "high risk" arrests and contacts so as to minimize the danger to their officers.
These are only a few reasons why you're seeing this trend and they are by no means a complete answer. they do shed some light, however, and I hope they help make this more understandable.
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I appreciate the thoughts, and agree with everything said - there are many horrible things going on that being prepared for would be a great idea. However, Aught Six said it best:
Quote:
I have no problem with LEO's receiving advanced training and weaponry; it's the citizens' rights I'm worried about. As long as I have the firepower I need to defend myself and my family, I'm not concerned by the police. However, if they get keep getting more while we keep getting less, that's a tremendous problem.
This is a very important issue actually. It's called urban warfare, and not in the sense of controlling gangs or thugs or druggies or kids that lose their minds, it's for the every day middle-America, USA guys like you and me - especially the guys that own guns. Just another part of the bigger picture when it comes to gun control I suppose.
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We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a civilization, it expects what never was and what never will be.
It makes some sense for the rural police to get extra training. Unlike a city, they don't have access to a swat team that can show up in under a couple of hours. They also have to rely on themsleves alot- there are alot of small towns with only one cop on duty at a time- when they have to answer domestic disturbance calls or other violent situations, they don't have the convenience or safety of calling backup.
My Brother-in-law is in such a situation- a cop in a small town. He's mentioned to me that big city cops look down their noses at people like him and think he's a hayseed for working in a small town, but the city cops always can get backup when they need to. Having extra training can go along way in making sure that such cops survive until tjhe end of their shift every day.
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Up in the far reaches of New Hampshire cow town USA, I local lost it a few years back. He was having a dispute with the town over the use of his property. Long story short he picked up a gun and gunned down 2 state troopers and I believe a local cop before he was finaly killed. Not the type of thing that normally goes on in the part of the country but it seems to becoming more common place. I'm of the thinking that the people who put their lives on the line to protect the public should be as well traind and equipped as we can make them. If I were going to put it all on the line I would want the same.
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Remember the L.A. bank robbery? Those robbers were wearing full body armor. And the issued 9mm and .40's were not penetrating. The police had to commondere rifles from gun shops to stop them. After that, police their were issued AR-15's. It carried accross the country. Better safe than sorry.
Why not. That's his town and he puts his life on the line for it every day.
If someone held you up in your home would you rather be armed with a bb gun for yourself only or have a shot gun for you and your wife to use if need be.
How many guns do you have. Just one??????? Cause that's realisticly all you need.
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WHY???!!! Do local LE need SO much firepower?
