Any weapon or device that the police can deploy ought to be legal for the population to own and deploy.
The solution for this nonsense is at the State level. Simply put, States should put their foot down and prohibit police departments in their State from being militarized.
It really is as simple as that. They can tell all the police departments in their State that they may no longer keep or obtain military weapons beyond a strict list provided by the State. Any that they currently have must be turned over to the State for disposition.
It doesn’t matter if the DHS, the DEA, or whoever, wants to give them the stuff for free, or grants to buy it themselves, or a big chunk of cash from drug confiscation monies.
Just say NO. No federal grants to local law enforcement, except through the State government, and no conditions on such money, either, involving SWAT paramilitary training, or integration with federal law enforcement agencies, or just about anything else.
In other words, if the feds show up at your door, send them up the chain, because you are not permitted to take their dime, or really to have anything to do with them, without State police and Attorney General approval.
A lot of this stuff started in the 1970s, with a small number of heavily publicized police assassinations, mostly by leftist radicals. So in conjunction with the War on Drugs begun by Richard Nixon, the militarization of local police departments began.
It has run its course as a philosophy, and has caused just as much harm as it has solved. Only a handful of big cities, with rampant violent crime, still need SWAT teams. Most of the rest of the country does not.
So, what brave State legislator will stand up to propose the demilitarization of the police in his State?
“...to the Lenco BearCat G3 bought last year by the sheriff’s department in Warren County, Va.”
Here’s a promotional/sales video from Lenco on the G3, in case anyone is curious:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm4bzV31k14
When you have a SWAT team, everything is a dynamic entry opportunity.
I’ve been watching a reality show called “Vegas Strip”. Cops doing what you’d expect in Las Vegas: traffic stops, breaking up fights, hassling prostitutes, etc. Except they identify themselves as “Homeland Security Saturation Team” members. What is that all about?
sorry I didn’t read the article but police that have to wear ski masks when on duty means there is something wrong with those police....
This army is not intended to fight a war against a foreign invader. The frogs in the pot are being set up for a civil war.