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Texas Parks and Wildlife Now Has a SWAT Team (Is the militarization of police finally complete?)
The Dallas Observer's Unfair Park Blog ^ | January 10, 2014 | Brantley Hargrove

Posted on 01/11/2014 5:20:35 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

The man in the photo to the left isn't a Ranger in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. He's a Texas game warden, kitted out to check your deer tags or lead a paramilitary, kick-the-door-in assault on your tent. The militarization of every possible law enforcement entity in America is complete: Texas Parks and Wildlife now has a SWAT team.

The 25-man unit can deploy anywhere in the state within four hours, TPWD boasts, and is modeled after what military types call a "force multiplier," which basically means that these guys can shoot a bunch of bullets. At what, you ask? In this Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine story, they list potential missions like "border operations, dignitary protection or any sort of high-risk law enforcement, such as serving felony arrest warrants or hostage situations.

Stuff can get real down in the dusty arroyos of Big Bend Ranch State Park. Hell, a Mexican man on a burro might try to sell you a carved statuette. In fairness, a game warden's average suspect is usually carrying a high-powered rifle. But something tells me some of these guys couldn't wait to shuck those slacks and Stetsons and put on a fresh pair of BDU pants and a Kevlar helmet.

"We're steeped in tradition and very mindful of our past," said special ops chief Grahame Jones. "It's an important part of who we are, but we have to look to the future."

And the future is a camo AR. Now, if Texas truly intends to secede, it's got its own military force ready and waiting. We've even got a Navy! TPWD has 564 vessels, including a 65-foot gulf patrol ship, and gunboats mounted with .30 cal machine guns.


TOPICS: Conspiracy; Government; Outdoors; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: gamewarden; lawenforcement; militarization; police; swat; swatteams; texas
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To: AlexW
There was a scene from Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange where Alex had been released from prison and encountered a couple of his old 'droogs' who were now police. I remember the line as one of them said to Alex while they were working him over..."And don't be calling me Dim no more...Officer call me!"
21 posted on 01/11/2014 6:02:04 PM PST by VR-21 (Next Stop, Willoughby.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

For use in border skirmishes and with drug cartels also?


22 posted on 01/11/2014 6:02:24 PM PST by bboop (does not suffer fools gladly)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Alex Jones was right.

As much as people think he is a nutcase, and most of the time he is, he does get it right once in a while.


23 posted on 01/11/2014 6:17:19 PM PST by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
This is not the America we grew up in.


24 posted on 01/11/2014 6:45:47 PM PST by bgill
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Post GWB's war on terror how many sub-contractors are making all the gizmatchee's on this guys outfit?

Do they have K-Street Lobbyist and are their Democrats Congressman and Senators that have these manufacturers in their district and want the jobs as well as they sell to the Feds or the Fed's send "Grant" money so they can buy it at the State or Local Level?

I'd love to see who is employed by the manufacturers as well, any relatives of politicans?

I wonder if this is as much about pork as it is about law enforcement...

25 posted on 01/11/2014 6:46:12 PM PST by taildragger (The E-GOP won't know what hit them, The Party of Reagan is almost here, hang tight folks....)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
that light at the end of the tunnel, is a train...
26 posted on 01/11/2014 6:47:29 PM PST by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -vvv- NO Pity for the LAZY - 86-44)
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To: kiryandil

ping


27 posted on 01/11/2014 6:48:33 PM PST by Fightin Whitey
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To: Fightin Whitey

That Texas State Flag he’s wearing on his battle uniform simply becomes a target for a shooter holding his sights on him. Our local small town pd officers wear black or dark blue tee shirts, so they don’t show a white v where their neck meets their chest. Against another shooter, the white v acts like a target. Same for the position of that flag. It is good to be proud of being a Texan. It is better to be wise and remain a live one.


28 posted on 01/11/2014 7:10:32 PM PST by Tudorfly
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To: tomkat
Lighten up .. think 'context' .. think Sat.night FR banter .. or not .. whatever cheers

OK, that's MUCH better. As has been obvious for a long time here, I am an animal lover. And, my cat was watching me as I typed that. She is a Supervisory Pussycat.

So what was the trap supposed to represent?

29 posted on 01/11/2014 7:21:02 PM PST by EinNYC
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To: EinNYC
blowback

Normally agree w/ya re those traps, btw.
The customized exception above was suggested for the article's referenced flavor of our metastasizing Sturmabteilung.

A jillion rationalizations notwithstanding, most of 'em are choosing 30 pieces over honor, and they're scum.

g'night & FReep tight    d:^)

30 posted on 01/11/2014 7:59:42 PM PST by tomkat
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; COUNTrecount; Nowhere Man; FightThePower!; C. Edmund Wright; jacob allen; ...

Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping!

To get onto The Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping List you must threaten to report me to the Mods if I don't add you to the list...

31 posted on 01/11/2014 8:16:57 PM PST by null and void (It is as if they all had one head. Too bad they don't all have one neck.)
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To: Chode
that light at the end of the tunnel, is a train...

Or a procotoscope.

32 posted on 01/11/2014 8:19:43 PM PST by null and void (It is as if they all had one head. Too bad they don't all have one neck.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I knew we were doomed when NOAA, the weather people, raised a SWAT team about ten years ago.


33 posted on 01/11/2014 8:20:10 PM PST by CodeToad (When ignorance rules a person's decision they are resorting to superstition.)
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To: null and void

O is building his own army


34 posted on 01/11/2014 8:20:32 PM PST by Nifster
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To: Nifster
O is building his own army

As promised.

“We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” Barack Hussein Obama, 7/2/2008
They don’t call it a Civil Defense force, that would imply we need (or perhaps that we deserve) defense. The official name is National Civilian Community Corps.

I think of it as the NATCCC, or more simply as the NATCs...

35 posted on 01/11/2014 8:23:34 PM PST by null and void (It is as if they all had one head. Too bad they don't all have one neck.)
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To: Tudorfly

I would hope that is just velcro’d on and would be pulled before going on a real mission.


36 posted on 01/11/2014 8:24:50 PM PST by ThunderSleeps (Stop obarma now! Stop the hussein - insane agenda!)
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To: null and void
100%
37 posted on 01/11/2014 8:32:16 PM PST by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -vvv- NO Pity for the LAZY - 86-44)
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To: Chode

Wow. Things are getting crazier and crazier


38 posted on 01/11/2014 8:32:45 PM PST by GeronL (Extra Large Cheesy Over-Stuffed Hobbit)
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To: njslim
Need to send in the SWAT team to take down Fenton - The deer-chasing Lab
39 posted on 01/11/2014 8:36:08 PM PST by Rodamala
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To: GeronL
prolly got trail-cams and everything
40 posted on 01/11/2014 8:38:46 PM PST by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -vvv- NO Pity for the LAZY - 86-44)
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