One SWAT incident I've read about. The SWAT team went in to rescue a man who was emotionally unstable. There were weapons in the house but no people except this man.
They entered the house with their automatic weapons and were soon yelling for more ammo. Short time later one cop was dead, one was injured and the man was shot twice. He was immediately charged with murder.
Later they confirmed that all guns in the house were locked up and the man was unarmed. The police had fired 369 rounds and had shot each other.
Yes most cops are good people but it only takes a few to give them all a bad name. I believe police forces are becoming too militarized and their recruiting practices attract those who want the power. Getting to play with special weapons and gear has been emphasized in recruitment around the nation. Police no longer protect and serve, they patrol and monitor the human garbage.
The idea that we should just trust cops to protect our rights and we can relax the legal restrictions is silly.
In America our government works for the citizens and derives its power from the same. At least it used to be that way.
Okay, so maybe using SWAT against an "emotionally unstable" person is going too far. But DRUGS are bad and we must do everything to stop DRUGS. Civil liberties are out the window in our war against some DRUGS. As a society we have accepted that it's either the DRUGS or the civil liberties -- and we absolutely will not accept DRUGS.
well, despite all the ways a situation like that could have been defused, and since this boy was not in any position to harm anyone...he wanted to be alone in the room....despite the availability of water hoses, tear gas, or other non-lethal weapons, as this boy brought his gun down...only witnesses of course were the cops....they blasted him into smitherins and left him criticall injured, and although he lived, he is forever physically disabbled now and disfigured as well....
why?
of course, the cops in CYA mode, had numerous awards for the "courageous" shooters who ruined this kid for life...
the use of unrestrained force has gotten to epidemic levels and until some rich guy or some powerful guys son or dtr gets killed, it'll just be business as usual for the swat teams and cops in general....
Waco....Ruby Ridge...the case I just mentioned plus hundreds more....over zealous cops going overboard....
its because cops feel their first obligation is to take care of themselves, saving other people's lives is nice but plainly secondary...( eg.....Columbine)
I don't blame the cops on the line as much as I blame the air of impunity that the police chiefs have......
I have read stories like this before and one time an innocent citizen is killed or wounded by SWAT is one time too many. I think that most departments should not have SWAT teams in the first place but do only because of the extra funding and goodies that Uncle Sugar provides them for it.