If they need to arrest a bad guy, can’t they stake out the house? Is it so expensive?
Can’t they spend some time figuring out who is in there before they go in like that?
I don’t feel sorry for the bad guys, but bad guys are sometimes surrounded by innocent people, obviously.
I just don’t understand the use of this tactic except in the most unusual of circumstances.
it’s a simple use it or lose it situation. SWAT teams cost money, and they always have to justify their existence. If they sit around the coffee pot waiting for the one or two incidents a month (or maybe even fewer) when their skills are needed, the next budget won’t have any money for their shiny toys. So they’re out serving no-knock warrants, and 7 year olds get killed. It’s basically the same thing that happened at Waco.
Bottom line: if you give law enforcement officers military equipment and training, don’t be surprised when they start acting like a military force.