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I agree that the SWAT team concept has gotten out of hand but is everyone that is calling for their prohibition willing to accept the shootouts that will occur when a couple of uniformed officers try to execute a warrant? Can anyone tell me how many police officers lives, indeed suspects lives, have been saved utilizing their overwhelming force concept? How do you count tragedies that never happened?

I think the main bone of contention boils down to two factors:

i) The 'overwhelming force' concept should only be used when the case warrants for it. For instance, if it is a raid on a MS-13 gang-house, neutralizing a hostage situation, or other high-risk scenarios that require maximum force. However, the stories that are coming out show SWAT teams being used for drug busts (e.g. the marijuana case above), serving warrants, and other situations that do not fit what SWAT was created for. After all, it is special weapons and tactics, isn't it?

ii) This is probably more important than the first one. The PD needs to be doing THOROUGH RESEARCH! If you are willing to use SWAT, which means you are moving with the premise that it is a dangerous subject that you are going to TRY to apprehend, then very thorough research needs to be done to ensure that you have the right address. There are too many cases of SWAT going left instead of right, knocking down the neighbor's house, or other cases of mistaken ID. If SWAT just knocked down the homes of FReepers, I would not be surprised if a gun fight broke out and people died (in most cases NOT the SWAT since they would be moving in with fingers on the trigger).

Anyways, SWAT is useful. The concept was created for a very real reason, and it has saved lives. However it is not an instrument to be used just for the heck of it, and warrant issues and marijuana busts are not what SWAT was made for. Furthermore, before releasing such a formidable force, proper research needs to be done to ensure that the target home is indeed the one people should be going for.

Take this case for instance ....a quick double-take would have indicated it was the mayor's house, which would have made any logical person think twice (not that mayors do not take dope ....cough cough Chicago .....but at least it should make someone check to see if their information is correct). However it seems that the fellas had no time for that.

Well said.

***If SWAT just knocked down the homes of FReepers, I would not be surprised if a gun fight broke out and people died (in most cases NOT the SWAT since they would be moving in with fingers on the trigger).***

You really think FReepers would go quietly?

This was something that was talked about by a freepers on a earlier thread,That is prohibit local counties/towns from having SWAT teams and have only a “State SWAT” with very strict Rules of Engagement that could only be activated by the state Governor,

Would go a long way toward demilitarizing the local police in my opinion