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Statistical

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3. I think the very fact that the Police even have explosive weaponry is part of a larger problem ...

Fri Jul 8, 2016, 12:43 PM

Jul 2016

... the militarization of the Police.

I served in the military you don't want the military (any military even a well trained one) policing your citizens. Our country was very aware of the dangers of using the military as a police force. So aware in fact they passed laws making it illegal for the military to act as a police force. Now we have done an end run around that by turning the police into a second military.

When I was in Iraq painted on the wall of our barracks was the phrase "have a plan to kill everyone you meet today". Now it didn't mean kill everyone but rather at any point in time at any situation be aware than anyone could be the enemy and base decision on that reality. It influences your decision making process and thinking. You look at everything differently. Why is that guy standing there? Why did that woman make a call right after we got out of the trucks? Where is the exits? How many "civilians" are between us and the rest of the convoy? If we took fire right now where could we fall back to? If I was the enemy and wanted to kill this squad how would I do it?

You don't want police pretending to be soldiers. Soldiers exist to wage war.

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Sorry, but I am not comfortable with local police forces using explosives on citizens [View all] morningfog Jul 2016 OP

Welcome to the future of law enforcement Kelvin Mace Jul 2016 #1

Send in the drones. Don't borher, they're here. R. Daneel Olivaw Jul 2016 #17

Goddamn it. geardaddy Jul 2016 #33

That is the stuff of nightmares. LuvNewcastle Jul 2016 #69

A drone-powered machine gun BlueStateLib Jul 2016 #93

"RoboCop" might have been a documentary, like "Idiocracy.". nt tblue37 Jul 2016 #25

you mean it wasn't? nt Javaman Jul 2016 #58

A good movie about... TeeYiYi Jul 2016 #108

The police bombed Operation Move in Phily a few decades age, dropped a barrel bomb... Mika Jul 2016 #2

I am familiar. I know it is not without precedent. morningfog Jul 2016 #4

Oh, I agree 1000%. eom Mika Jul 2016 #11

And that worked out so well ... eppur_se_muova Jul 2016 #39

MOVE, not Push. Loki Liesmith Jul 2016 #66

Thanks. Mika Jul 2016 #75

No problem. I lived not too far from them Loki Liesmith Jul 2016 #83

I think the very fact that the Police even have explosive weaponry is part of a larger problem ... Statistical Jul 2016 #3

Well Said RobinA Jul 2016 #13

Actually, they were giving away the surplus military equipment, Ms. Toad Jul 2016 #89

Most of this list... getagrip_already Jul 2016 #97

It was him or them oswaldactedalone Jul 2016 #5

Agreed. 840high Jul 2016 #72

I'm with you alc Jul 2016 #6

It kept others out of harms way. tonyt53 Jul 2016 #7

Did the shooter indicate that bombs were placed in other locations? Zambero Jul 2016 #8

Your point is excellent lunatica Jul 2016 #32

That actually struck me, too. LisaM Jul 2016 #9

They used a bomb disposal robot Abnredleg Jul 2016 #16

it was a claymore, not a bomb.... getagrip_already Jul 2016 #68

You might be surprised what else they have, courtesy of the 1033 program. Ms. Toad Jul 2016 #90

whether by bullet or bomb. the sniper is dead rollin74 Jul 2016 #10

Anything Used In Iraq Will Eventually Be Used At Home billhicks76 Jul 2016 #27

Escalation works both ways, unfortunately. Oneironaut Jul 2016 #99

Team America! Fuck Yeah! Cayenne Jul 2016 #76

I'll disagree and say this was well played. Bonx Jul 2016 #12

Give the robot a promotion. TheCowsCameHome Jul 2016 #14

Bow & arrow, gun, boomerang, etc.; I'm just glad they stopped him FLPanhandle Jul 2016 #15

it is a tool just like a gun is a tool Kali Jul 2016 #18

Yup. Agschmid Jul 2016 #48

I'm glad he's dead, but I'm worried about equipment creep Oneironaut Jul 2016 #100

That is just how I feel Mojorabbit Jul 2016 #111

How many more dead cops would be a acceptible loss Agnosticsherbet Jul 2016 #19

So what would have been your solution? romanic Jul 2016 #20

I do not know the details but could of the robot had a taser? awake Jul 2016 #30

They will figure out where he got the guns and ammo fairly easily. milestogo Jul 2016 #43

exactly awake Jul 2016 #56

Yeah it sounds gruesome. milestogo Jul 2016 #61

Yeah Faux pas Jul 2016 #21

The police had no choice Motley13 Jul 2016 #22

I agree to some of that. rockfordfile Jul 2016 #23

there should be some rules around the use of high explosives geek tragedy Jul 2016 #24

This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Jul 2016 #26

Anything We Murdered Iraqis With Will Be Used Here billhicks76 Jul 2016 #28

This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Jul 2016 #31

It's A Matter Of Time Before Drones billhicks76 Jul 2016 #41

This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Jul 2016 #42

No - it's very muuch about weaponry, provided to local law enforcement, among others Ms. Toad Jul 2016 #92

I think you are being unnecessarily weirded out, but ... Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2016 #29

This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Jul 2016 #44

If you're 'sorry,' then you present your opinion with some doubt. Dreamer Tatum Jul 2016 #34

We've been using them on other country's children and families for so long, jtuck004 Jul 2016 #35

This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Jul 2016 #47

I'm all for it reign88 Jul 2016 #36

If remote controlled bombs are acceptable then drones NoMoreRepugs Jul 2016 #37

If the public were not armed so heavily there would be no need for this. milestogo Jul 2016 #38

This message was self-deleted by its author rjsquirrel Jul 2016 #50

True treestar Jul 2016 #79

Thanks, morningfog. HeartoftheMidwest Jul 2016 #40

Thanks, morningfog. The CCC Jul 2016 #55

If he was truly cornered, as reports say,.... HeartoftheMidwest Jul 2016 #64

Yeah, I agree with you... StraightRazor Jul 2016 #84

That's perfectly fine... pinboy3niner Jul 2016 #45

. Rex Jul 2016 #107

Weren't they explosives the shooter set up? Recursion Jul 2016 #46

That's not my understanding. morningfog Jul 2016 #51

I've mostly been in airports for 24 hours so I'm probably wrong Recursion Jul 2016 #52

The shooter was given time to give himself up. He refused and continued to fire on police officers.. Joe the Revelator Jul 2016 #49

Robo Cop? Cryptoad Jul 2016 #53

I'm comfortable with whatever they had to do to kill the SOB. linuxman Jul 2016 #54

What Linuxman said. Succinct. To the point. Discomfort? Give me a break. (nfm) SunDrop23 Jul 2016 #63

I understand sarisataka Jul 2016 #57

I think they were improvising because they did not know what else to do. Ash_F Jul 2016 #59

Just read a tweet...... Teamster Jeff Jul 2016 #60

Considering his actions earlier, and continued threats, it was the right thing to do. Lil Missy Jul 2016 #62

If law enforcement is 100% sure that they have the right suspect in a mass Lance Bass esquire Jul 2016 #65

Well it may have been the FBI. They were there. Schema Thing Jul 2016 #67

I would have preferred a robot be used to deliver a gas of some kind passiveporcupine Jul 2016 #70

He was given a chance to turn himself in. He didn't want to live. redstateblues Jul 2016 #101

That doesn't change the fact passiveporcupine Jul 2016 #102

Knockout gases are mostly a hollywood invention. (Especially in an open air place.) X_Digger Jul 2016 #104

Yeah, porbably...it would be nice though passiveporcupine Jul 2016 #105

Gas is a little unpredictable... TeeYiYi Jul 2016 #110

I have concerns sulphurdunn Jul 2016 #71

As a response to someone who may have a suicide belt, it makes sense JCMach1 Jul 2016 #73

I hope the robot is ok Demonaut Jul 2016 #74

Last year, bvar22 Jul 2016 #77

The cops are supposed to be servants of the court.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2016 #78

I'm not comfortable knowing there is a nut walking around tavernier Jul 2016 #80

K&R Every word of it. Nt NCTraveler Jul 2016 #81

It's a similar case to the Death Penalty rock Jul 2016 #82

It's quite alarming Calculating Jul 2016 #85

Neither am I. nt LWolf Jul 2016 #86

Police forces have a monopoly on violence? pintobean Jul 2016 #87

I suspect there is a great irony here. You know who uses bomb robots? The military. msanthrope Jul 2016 #88

My problem with it is the destruction of evidence. A lot of questions ecstatic Jul 2016 #91

Name one that wouldn't be answered. nt msanthrope Jul 2016 #94

Police don't have a monopoly on violence BainsBane Jul 2016 #95

In one speech, the Dallas police chief said his department was not going to militarize. merrily Jul 2016 #96

As long as the military and police disarm themselves first, gun control can happen. n/t Matt_R Jul 2016 #98

I am very thankful we have officers that are comfortable doing what I'm not to save lives of innocen FXSTD Jul 2016 #103

Agreed. sinkingfeeling Jul 2016 #106

They use bullets all the time. They kill you pretty dead too. Deader then dead. Rex Jul 2016 #109