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and all have very little to do with protecting the public any better - In fact, we were all protected much better years and years ago when police departments had far smaller budgets

Agreed. Police departments are now basically just a revenue collection arm of the government. They live to seize money from speed traps and from drug busts. None of these operations actually make any of us any safer.

One of the main reasons that law enforcement is fascinated with the war on drugs is the revenue that comes in through seizures and the new toys the departments justify to fight it.

Wouldn't it be great if law enforcement actually starting focusing on crimes that impact everyday citizens like burglary, vandalism, car theft, rape and murder? Of course solving those crimes doesn't really bring money into the department and its hard to justify new toys for those crimes either.

One of the main reasons that law enforcement is fascinated with the war on drugs is the revenue that comes in through seizures and the new toys the departments justify to fight it.

Everything you said is 100% correct and I agree completely. There is simply no denying police departments are out of control - They continually look at revenues as their top priority (how can they get new cars, new toys, etc, etc).

I currently work down in NC and I live in a town without more than 5000 people total - Yet the number of police and police vehicles (be it from the town and County) is simply mind boggling - And they are actually asking the township now to fund a SWAT Unit!! - It is laughable if it wasn't such a waste -

And of course the monthly police "check-points" on local roads down here simply blow me away (I cannot understand how these hill-people have rolled over and accepted this from their local police czars!). (I'm talking middle of the day ...stop every car going down a major road check-points!).