[OneWingedShark]

Swat style raids should only be used in violent hostage situations and where *extremely* violent people are directly involved. The WOD is basically an excuse for government to grow, control, fine, and seize assets.

That's the only thing I disagree with in your post. SWAT-teams should not exist, period. The hostage and "where *extremely* violent people are directly involved" situations should be handled by the militia, that is the armed body of the people, and not that of the police. (Precisely because of the propensity to use SWAT for more and more, thereby devaluing the innocent-life more and more [because every SWAT action is inherently more lethal].)

[dragnet2]

You have a good point. When SWAT teams/operations were created and developed, they were supposed to be used for the extremely violent, hostage situations etc.

We all know how that worked out.

Now even small rural towns have militarized units, with attitudes of an occupying army. This should have never been allowed to escalate to what it is today.

They use any excuse to use these government militarized units and these operations are now conducted hundreds of times per day in the U.S.