Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America

The Cato Institute ^ | July 16, 2006 | Radley Balko

[rbalko]

Paper on America's love affair with the SWAT team and "dynamic entry" raids.

See scary accompanying map of botched no-knocks and other SWAT-style raids.

[Billthedrill]

Yep. Frankly it's a little difficult to come up with a lot of sympathy with a team of armed folks whose first action is to put everyone in the room on their face and in restraints and then figure out if anybody might not have that coming.

The police NEED community support. This kind of crap on the part of non-locals will ensure that the locals suffer. Bad, bad idea.

[nerdwithamachinegun]

ping-a-ling-a-ding-dong for later

[DariusBane]

BUT...


If you have not done anything wrong, you have nothing to be afraid of!

BAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa get in line!

[TChris]

* ROFLOL!!! *

[tcrlaf]

Actually, it's the result of increased lawsuits...

If SWAT is available, is not used, and somebody gets killed (police OR bad Guy), the lawsuits fly...

Blame the trial attorneys, not some unseen hand of a totalitarian government...

[Doc91678]

Another legacy of the Clinton Administration. Remember Waco?
Ruby Ridge. How many law abiding gun owners were rushed by ATF SWAT teams? When there was no need.

[Quix]

Pretend this is training. Training for . . . something moderately general; moderately specific.

What might that be?

[ElkGroveDan]

As I have posted before, there are four trends that are beginning to collide: a) the "Castle Doctrine", which allows homeowners to shoot people who bust into their homes without fear of later prosecution b) the increase of no-knock dynamic entry SWAT served warrants, where the SWAT team enters un-announced

Indeed they have:

Ranch-coveting officials settle for killing owner

[Quix]

The police NEED community support. This kind of crap on the part of non-locals will ensure that the locals suffer. Bad, bad idea.
= = = =

Therefore, WHY is it going on--especially on such a scale?

[Conservative Goddess]

Ping.

For the children......indeed.

[elkfersupper]

If that's really you, Senor Balko, I am a big fan.

If it's not, nice post. I was trying to get to this one yesterday.

[King Prout]

Blame the trial attorneys, not some unseen hand of a totalitarian government...

is there a difference?

[american spirit]

Does that include Vicki Weaver's baby and other kids?

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Of course if we were using these tactics against our real enemies I would have no problem - but then CAIR would raise hell and we can't have that now can we.

[eleni121]

Law enforcement types going after small time thugs (Bucky Phillips) and shooting dead ATB drivers without helmets and little kids (Elian) while handling terrorists with kid gloves makes most people mad.

A sickness grows amongst them.

[Chode]

ha... back in the early 80's, Elmira just HAD to have a SWAT team.

on their first deployment... one of those jokers shot the team leader to death!!!

he was reassigned to "Officer Friendly" duty in the schools ever since.

[JTN]

Ping

[Republicus2001]

I knew a guy that strangled himself in Las Vegas. The Metro Bad Boys just "didn't reach him in time". His crime? --- cohabitation with a known streetwalker.

[Rate_Determining_Step]

If somebody kicks my door in without first announcing they're a cop, I'm going to start shooting.

One would be foolish not to.

[Rate_Determining_Step]

Seems DAs don't want the bad publicity of these things going to trial. Sounds like time is ripe for a nationwide "insurance" policy that has the following.

If you are killed in a no-knock raid we will sue on your estate's behalf.

We will litigate as long as they will and not settle.

Your estate WILL GET IT'S DAY IN COURT.

A couple dozen of these and you'll see Rambo units rightfully retired.