The militarization of the police. Not Police Department. Police

[marym625]

The program to equip police departments across the country is not only completely insane, now we have to worry about the cops themselves taking the weapons of war.

This is insanity. How is it possible that we have come to this point? How were so many of us unaware, or blindly ignoring, the ramifications of making every police department a small army? Why did it have to take one small army in Missouri attacking its citizens for us to wake up?

What's worse, the police departments cannot or do not keep track of their new toys. Weapons are missing from at least 200 departments.

"Firearms were routinely lost or misplaced. In Arizona alone, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department lost 11 or 12 weapons."

That's great news for immigrants.

Assault rifles, hand guns, vehicles have all somehow disappeared. But what the hell's another assault rifle carried by a cop in Missouri?

We need to get a handle on the complete insanity in this country. There's no time to "wait and see how it goes." We already have that answer, thanks in no small part to Officer Darren Wilson.

http://rt.com/usa/183000-police-departments-lose-military-weaponry

[sabrina 1]

1. Seattle was where people first began to notice the militarization of the police airc. Then OWS.

It was clear from OWS just how bad it had become. They nearly killed people but our media tried to minimize the murderous behavior of cops dressed like soldiers, hiding their identities, just as they did in Ferguson.

I'm not sure why THIS TIME, the media actually reported it. Perhaps because this time they roughed up THEIR reporters.

During OWS the MSM COOPERATED with them. When the police would move in, usually after dark to attack protesters, they would ask the Media to leave. They would immediately stop broadcasting and do as they were told.

And we learned, as suspected, that these tactics were coordinated at the Federal Level.

Nixon sent in the National Guard to Ferguson. Why? It was obvious that the riots were caused by the police. Not by the protesters. Same thing with OWS.

Whatever the reason, I am glad this time the media experienced it for themselves. Hopefully they won't be cooperating with these thugs again.

[marym625]

2. This time they inflamed the world

When they left Michael Brown's body in the road for over four hours. It's the reason so many became so angry so quickly. It is the one difference in all the horror of people killed by police. The Ferguson PDs complete disregard for everything decent caused people to finally take notice.

Thanks for the information. Good points.

[Live and Learn]

3. This time? They inflamed me long before this time but

I am glad others are finally getting inflamed.

[marym625]

4. hence "the world"

At the end of the sentence. I too have been inflamed long ago as well. I am also glad others are finally pissed and doing something.

[marym625]

11. That wasn't meant to sound snide

Last night it seems clear to me that read as I meant it. With a smile on my face. This morning, reading it again, seemed to read rather nasty. I didn't mean it like that.

[Live and Learn]

16. I didn't take it that way at all.

[marym625]

18. GOOD

I'm glad to hear it. You just never know with the written word.

(that's a friendly "peck." Didn't want to copy your little guys.

[sabrina 1]

5. Actually these militarized thugs inflamed the world during OWS. Their brutal attacks on

peaceful protesters, many of them veterans and elderly women etc, caused the UN Human Rights Rappateur to try to intervene to protect the protesters. He contacted the US Government asking them to protect these people. Sadly as far as I know they got no response. That should hardly have been a surprise since the tactics were approved by Congress we learned, militarization of the police I mean.

Leaving that young boy's body in the street was horrendous and a human rights violation in itself and SHOULD be thoroughly investigated. I am sure it shocked people all over the world. I did not think I heard it correctly at first.

It shows a total disregard for human life and everyone responsible should be fired.

I was shocked to see people right here try to 'explain' it!

[marym625]

7. The videos people took

Of Michael Brown's body lying in the street, his family trying desperately to cover him, are so sad and maddening. Showed disrespect for life and the entire community.

I don't doubt that many, possibly most people in DU have been angry for a very long time. But obviously, the majority of the country wasn't.

Laurel Krause has been fighting for justice for her sister and the others killed at Kent State for over 4 decades. Just this year, the UN has given the US one year to respond. I will try to find the link in the morning.

[sabrina 1]

22. Yes, it was a despicable act. Imo, it makes all those who are responsible, for that alone,

unfit to be 'public servants'. Here on DU we had people trying to explain how it would have 'destroyed forensic evidence' to 'cover the body'. BS, I've seen people who appear to be dead be treated with every effort to try to revive them, and no one worried about the forensics. Life is the first consideration above everything else, but that wasn't the case here.

I did not know about Laurel Krause, how sad. I hope she gets some justice finally.

[marym625]

23. She is an awesome woman

Here's a link to the story

https://mendocoastcurrent.wordpress.com/category/kent-state-massacre/

No excuse for what they did to Michael Brown and his family even after death. You would think that the people here would be smarter than that.

Smh

[951-Riverside]

6. The Redlands Police Swa... err Umm Rescue Tank

This is the same small city in Southern California that watches the citizenry 24/7 with 140 surveillance cameras.

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[marym625]

8. Jesus Christ

How do the people of Redlands put up with it? Better yet, why do they?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

9. Because they're near San Bernardino.

[marym625]

10. I am sorry

I don't know what that means.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

12. San Benardino is a major crime area...

They decided to do some work on the lake at the park in town and pulled a lot of weighed down corpses out of there. One was in a 50s era refrigerator.

Redlands is an upscale WHITE community along with VERY WHITE Loma Linda.

Guess they feel they need that tank for the upcoming race war.

[marym625]

13. Ah!

I assumed it was something like that.
Damn! I can't believe I didn't hear about that. Although, the news here, print, tv, online, etc., acts like there is nothing west of the Mississippi River. If it doesn't make national news, I might miss it. THough I try not to.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

14. A local joke is the residents of San Bernardino buy alarms because they live next to Rialto.

[marym625]

15. Interesting

I know people that live there and they have never mentioned that to me. Any of this. But, they're not very involved in anything outside their own lives.

Thanks for all the info!!

[jwirr]

20. Our community parades often have police and fire department units and most of the equipment they

own in it. We are lucky - the fire department is bigger and much better equipped than the police. Our priorities are in order. Does this police department put this nice little piece of equipment in the parades in your community? I would think that would wake the community up.

[marym625]

21. Good question

I'm anxious to hear the answer myself.

[Glassunion]

17. Some people are blissfully ignorant, or willfully ignorant (stupid).

They see this as the police keeping them safe. They are of the mind of "I have nothing to hide" or "I'm not doing anything wrong" so "what do I have to worry about?". That the police are just there to protect us from the "bad guys".

They change their mind fast when some "informant" gives knowingly bad information, and the police serve a warrant on the bad information. When you have 10 wanna-be soldiers break down your door at 3am kill your pets and send a few of you to the hospital without so much as an apology, or any compensation for the damage, folks tend to see the light pretty quick.

[marym625]

19. So true

Though the truly stupid I have sympathy for. It's the intentionally ignorant that really piss me off.

Yeah, like that poor little baby that was seriously injured when a SWAT team threw a "stun grenade" in their crib.