Posted on 09/14/2013 5:38:17 PM PDT by RoosterRedux
The recent uproar over armed EPA agents descending on a tiny Alaska mining town is shedding light on the fact that 40 federal agencies – including nearly a dozen typically not associated with law enforcement -- have armed divisions.
The agencies employ about 120,000 full-time officers authorized to carry guns and make arrests, according to a June 2012 Justice Department report.
Though most Americans know agents within the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Federal Bureau of Prisons carry guns, agencies such as the Library of Congress and Federal Reserve Board employing armed officers might come as a surprise.
The incident that sparked the renewed interest and concern occurred in late August when a team of armed federal and state officials descended on the tiny Alaska gold mining town of Chicken, Alaska.
The Environmental Protection Agency, whose armed agents in full body armor participated, acknowledged taking part in the Alaska Environmental Crimes Task Force investigation, which it said was conducted to look for possible violations of the Clean Water Act.
However, EPA officials denied the operation was a “raid” and didn't address speculation about whether it was connected to possible human and drug trafficking.
“Imagine coming up to your diggings, only to see agents swarming over it like ants, wearing full body armor, with jackets that say "POLICE" emblazoned on them, and all packing side arms,” gold miner C.R. Hammond told the Alaska Dispatch.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
This is insane
The constitution has been violated
America was set up to be the land of the free and gov by the people.
democrats have destroyed this country
none of these stupid government agencies are even needed . abolish the EPA,IRS, FEC,FCC gov schools , HUD, OSHA etc
The only thing the federal gov should do is national defense, international issues, border control and that’s it.
Abolish the EPA like Newt Gingrich said.
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120K armed agents. That’s not a police force, that’s an internal army.
The only thing the federal gov should do is national defense, international issues, border control and that’s it.
After we restore our lost constitutional republic, I hope we'll make the national government wholly dependent on the states for its funds and turn it back into the nation's night watchman.
To be fair Bush started the ball rolling in this direction. Did it occur to anyone that the Democrats would push this agenda 10 times further?
And replace it with another federal agency like Newt said.
Better equipped and better financed than our military.
The message: you are not safe even in a small town in the wilderness. We know where you are and you are not beyond our reach.
Soon, suburbia will become a target-rich environment.....count on it.
Not sure the handouts will end. Obama will most likely continue the transfer of wealth.
He intensified it, for sure. The roots go further back, though. From what I understand, federal agencies began lobbying for their own internal police forces as early as the end of the Eisenhower administration, and after the tumult of the 1960’s, things were headed in the direction we see today.
Somebody did mention that at the time about democrats being there some day. Party of stupid meet party of evil.
120,000 full-time officers authorized to carry guns and make arrests,
WOW! Bigger than the US Army in 1830!
For comparison: Marine Corps presently numbers about 200,000.
FedGov has non-military officers equivalent to 60% of the Marines in service.
reset required
My blog was eventually wrecked by attacks from dispensers of malware. Perhaps the NSA.;-)
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