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More Dallas-Fort Worth police forces arming themselves with military-style equipment
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram ^ | May 29, 2009 | Domingo Ramirez, Jr.

Posted on 05/30/2009 6:56:12 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

A $226,000 armored vehicle for the North Richland Hills Police Department SWAT team arrived a few days ago to replace one the agency got in 1990.

To many people that vehicle — and others like it used by police departments across the country — will go unnoticed. The public seems to largely accept the use of military-type equipment, technology and tactics as not only appropriate but also necessary to fight crime and make communities more safe and secure.

Armored vehicles are used by law enforcement agencies in Fort Worth, Arlington and Bedford and at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, just to name a few. Some police departments have assault rifles, noise-flash devices and grenade launchers. Arlington even sought federal money for a drone aircraft.

But some criminal-justice experts are troubled by law enforcement agencies’ growing use of military-style equipment. Rather than employ such equipment only in extreme situations, the critics say, their use is becoming commonplace, leading police to use unnecessary force and intimidating residents. For example, some cite an episode last year in which police used a battering ram to raid a Duncanville swingers club when no one answered a knock.

"We have been witnesses to a little-noticed but nonetheless momentous historical change — the traditional distinctions between military/police, war/law and internal/external security are rapidly blurring," said criminal justice professor Peter Kraska, of Eastern Kentucky University, in one on his studies on the militarization of police departments.

(Excerpt) Read more at star-telegram.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: agenda; crime; lawenforcement; leo; military; obama; paramilitary; police; possecomitatus
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Could this be partly getting ready for the next tea parties?
1 posted on 05/30/2009 6:56:13 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

More like drug gangsters.


2 posted on 05/30/2009 6:58:39 PM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

No 2DV, it’s just little boys with penis envy problems.


3 posted on 05/30/2009 6:59:20 PM PDT by ex91B10 ("Search" and "Preview" are your friends...)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I hope like hell not.....


4 posted on 05/30/2009 7:04:14 PM PDT by waterhill
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To: ex91B10

Trying to get into the Gestapo club.


5 posted on 05/30/2009 7:04:46 PM PDT by Concho ( No Birth Certificate-No Census!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Federally funded. What a surprise. Just in case obi needs to “borrow” them for a while.


6 posted on 05/30/2009 7:05:08 PM PDT by Right Wing Assault ( Obama, you're off the island!)
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To: Squantos; Travis McGee; elkfersupper

Why bust down a door, when you can drive through it.


7 posted on 05/30/2009 7:07:09 PM PDT by razorback-bert (We used to call them astronomical numbers. Now we should call them economical numbers.)
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To: ex91B10

Were you in the ROK during the Tree Cutting incident?


8 posted on 05/30/2009 7:10:39 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet ("The unarmed man is not just defenseless - he is also contemptible." Machiavelli)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Janet Reno must be twitching with anticipation.
Maybe they can bring Lon in to shoot some more women and children.


9 posted on 05/30/2009 7:12:59 PM PDT by AH_LiveRight
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Were you in the ROK during the Tree Cutting incident?

No. Processed out in July of 76. That incident happened about a month later IIRC.

10 posted on 05/30/2009 7:15:17 PM PDT by ex91B10 ("Search" and "Preview" are your friends...)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
In recent months, more equipment has been purchased with federal stimulus funds. According to StimulusWatch.org, Arlington at one point requested $1.6 million in stimulus money for a mobile command unit, explosive entry program, armored vehicle and support vehicle, plus the unmanned drone for surveillance and security that StimulusWatch lists at $625,000. .

OK now the narco cops are not only going to break down the door of the wrong house they are going to blow it up.

All at taxpayer expense of course. The home owner will not be charged for this service. Of course the home owner will be responsible for any needed repairs.

11 posted on 05/30/2009 7:16:36 PM PDT by Pontiac (Your message here.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I remember back in 1968 the police force of Cairo, Illinois made their own armor plated vehicle. they dubbed it THE WAR WAGGON.


12 posted on 05/30/2009 7:18:27 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

It’s all about conditioning...getting the ‘masses’ mentally mushy so that when they see it, it’s not that big of a deal.

How many movies & tv cop shows have this sort of para-military stuff in it at the disposal of local law enforcement? How many of them show ‘no-knock’ entries, or warrantless searches as the norm? Just good cops doing whatever it takes to get the bad guys, right?

“Hey, they do it on Law & Order! Must be ok.”


13 posted on 05/30/2009 7:19:34 PM PDT by ItsOurTimeNow ("Go now. Run along and tell your Xerxes that he faces Free Men here...not slaves.")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Could this be partly getting ready for the next tea parties?

There aren't enough APC's or SWAT teams to deal with the next tea parties.

Nonetheless, cops and law enforcement thugs in general are a real pain in the a$$ these days.

I've told everybody within my sphere of influence to not attract their attention if possible, and for God's sake never call them to your location.

No matter how dire the situation, it can always be made worse by adding a cop.

14 posted on 05/30/2009 7:22:14 PM PDT by elkfersupper (Member of the Original Defiant Class)
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To: devolve; MeekOneGOP; 2ndDivisionVet

Disturbing to read - but what isn’t anymore?


15 posted on 05/30/2009 7:25:37 PM PDT by potlatch
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To: ex91B10

“No 2DV, it’s just little boys with penis envy problems.”

Except these little boys knock down doors and shoot grandmas on occasion. Not on purpose of course but when SWAT is used to deliver parking tickets it gets kinda crazy.


16 posted on 05/30/2009 7:26:56 PM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"The funding and the technology is what police departments are looking for to curb crime rates," Flory said. "It makes good sense to use what’s available.". .

And of course like any guy who gets a new tool for Christmas he find a reason to use it.

Hey we got this new bad ass armored vehicle what are we going to do with it?

Same with the special tactics teams. After a police commissioner spends millions of dollars on forming a paramilitary unit he is going to expect to get results from that team. So the responsible lieutenant is going to feel pressure to find work for them.

And when some one is under pressure to show results there is a higher likelihood of errors in judgment.

17 posted on 05/30/2009 7:27:22 PM PDT by Pontiac (Your message here.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I could build a better one for under $100,000 and a 1980 chevy 4x4.

18 posted on 05/30/2009 7:27:38 PM PDT by usmcobra (Your chances of dying in bed are reduced by getting out of it, but most people still die in bed)
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To: elkfersupper

‘No matter how dire the situation, it can always be made worse by adding a cop. “

Shoot, shovel, shutup


19 posted on 05/30/2009 7:28:42 PM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: ItsOurTimeNow

It Is Our TIME !
I can’t see otherwise,,,,,,
“War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength.” [Big Brother]
How will History deal with US?
As Romans or Spartans?


20 posted on 05/30/2009 7:30:10 PM PDT by bravotu (Have a Nice Day !)
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