Ex police chief Joseph McNamara addresses the new police mindset in this op-ed:
Simply put, the police culture in our country has changed. An emphasis on "officer safety" and paramilitary training pervades today's policing, in contrast to the older culture, which held that cops didn't shoot until they were about to be shot or stabbed.
Police in large cities formerly carried revolvers holding six .38-caliber rounds. Nowadays, police carry semi-automatic pistols with 16 high-caliber rounds, shotguns and military assault rifles, weapons once relegated to SWAT teams facing extraordinary circumstances. Concern about such firepower in densely populated areas hitting innocent citizens has given way to an attitude that the police are fighting a war against drugs and crime and must be heavily armed.
Yes, police work is dangerous, and the police see a lot of violence. On the other hand, 51 officers were slain in the line of duty last year, out of some 700,000 to 800,000 American cops. That is far fewer than the police fatalities occurring when I patrolled New York's highest crime precincts, when the total number of cops in the country was half that of today.
Each of these police deaths and numerous other police injuries is a tragedy and we owe support to those who protect us. On the other hand, this isn't Iraq. The need to give our officers what they require to protect themselves and us has to be balanced against the fact that the fundamental duty of the police is to protect human life and that law officers are only justified in taking a life as a last resort.
http://www.theygaveusarepublic.com/main/2
The whole op-ed is from the WSJ. I'd have to subscribe to access it. I know I can probably find the whole thing for free. I am doing this while asleep and have little energy.
The move to a military mindset is being helped by the government. They are giving surplus arms to ODs around the US. If they have them, they are going to use them whether they are necessary. This also creates a quasi-government unit for activities they shouldn't be involved in.
In addition, having PDs with this mindset further separates them from the people they should protect and serve. This makes it easier to use them in what I consider unlawful ways. It hardens the US vs THEM mentality. There needs to be more communication between citizens and the police, not less.
The police and their resources are being spent in ways that do not benefit the areas they serve. They should be used for community policing for problems that are making the lives of people much harder instead of over the top actions against protesters. I am not saying they should not be involved in making sure protests are not out of control. As it is, they seem intent on breaking the protests and the protesters literally in the head.
It also seems that SWAT gets called out for jaywalkers. That is hyperbole but not by much. There is an escalating circle of violence. Some problems require SWAT. There are some that could use less force. However, as violence against police increases, SWAT is used more. The people who perpetrate the worst violence are a very small fraction of the population. Citizens minding there own business are caught in the middle. As a result, they and their communities become less likely to trust the police.
The police are no longer viewed by many as helpful. The escalating confrontational dynamic needs to change on both sides. I believe those with the power and 'legal' authority have to begin this. If those with that power don't show good faith, it will never end.
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One of the 90% of cops who give the other 10% a bad name
