When did we accept the idea that “Peace officers” were warriors?
Is ‘warrior cop’ now what it means to have a badge? When did this mindset happen?
I guess it must have been when so many decided that living in a police state was okay and for our own protection.
I don't, and I've never known a warrior to shoot a pet dog or rough up a journalist, but If I had to guess quick, I'd say 'acceptance' was a slow creep that started with Iran/Contra, Miami/Columbia - the war on drugs. Nobody cared about specialized crews in the 70's slogging it out in Nicaraguan jungles. Nobody cared when those crews became backup for the DEA on the domestic scene. Fighting drugs and all. Miami Vice was the number one weekly show. Rah Rah.
Then police depts got their own teams with War on Drug grants and War on Terrorism grants. Ruby Ridge 1992. Waco 1993. Senate hearings. But lookie lookie Clinton is soooo handsome! Hispanics show up in large numbers in American prisons and gangs organize against black and white gangs over criminal enterprises. The government pours surplus weapons into the copshops for next to free. Gotta fight the gangs and keep our streets safe. Save the Children! Iraq/Iraq/Afganistan. The government acts like an arms dealer, only to American police departments, and all that porkbarrel surplus trickles down to everybody but street cops - who are left picking up the pieces after the yahoos roll back to the barn.
Granted it's an argueably simplistic explanation, but that's the best guess perspective I can give you off the top of my head as to how we got from blue uniforms to desert camo in 40 years without much public fuss.