[Don W]

Unless you are in the military, please DO NOT USE the term CIVILIAN when referring to your fellow CITIZENS! All members of all police forces are also “civilians”, but are (more accurately) fellow citizens entrusted with the enforcement of our laws. They are most emphatically NOT military, though they do like to play at it with all the gear they end up with.

Only MILITARY members can legitimately use the term civilian to refer to non-military members. That certain police want to further separate themselves from the citizenry they supposedly *serve* by using military terminology is only ONE of the symptoms of the dysfunctional, irrational split happening between the police forces and citizens.

Words mean things, and certain words can be used to drive a wedge between otherwise homogenous groups (eg the law abiding community and the law enforcement community).

[familyop]

"Unless you are in the military, please DO NOT USE the term CIVILIAN when referring to your fellow CITIZENS! All members of all police forces are also “civilians”, but are (more accurately) fellow citizens entrusted with the enforcement of our laws. They are most emphatically NOT military, though they do like to play at it with all the gear they end up with.

Only MILITARY members can legitimately use the term civilian to refer to non-military members. That certain police want to further separate themselves from the citizenry they supposedly *serve* by using military terminology is only ONE of the symptoms of the dysfunctional, irrational split happening between the police forces and citizens.

Words mean things, and certain words can be used to drive a wedge between otherwise homogenous groups (eg the law abiding community and the law enforcement community)."

Well said! Thanks, buddy. :)

[Enten]

Noted.

[heartwood]

Thank you, agreed about wrongful use of the word civilian. We are citizens.