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An interesting aside, but the playing field is actually more or less level. Aside from the fully auto weapons, which are an utter waste in almost any application. The average citizen can buy advanced night vision goggles, thermal scopes, body armor, GPS enabled comms, good optics and powerful rifles. One on one, not much against a squad. Problem for that squad is, they can't hide, and they don't regenerate numbers fast.

LEO's are more than capable against the occasional lone whackos, probably more so than they need to be. Against a team of fairly trained folks who are reasonably equipped, all that Gucci Rambo gear is useless. A little sniping here, a baited ambush there, and most police departments would unravel fast. This happened in Iraq and Afghanistan, until the police were cowed or replaced by local militiamen.

In America? It's a COIN nightmare scenario. One of the most dangerous weapons that evolved was the cell phone, and I don't mean just as an IED trigger. The ability to do rapid command and control and otherwise communicate instantly was formerly the province of organized militaries. With computers and easy applications for analysis, planning, and assisting, you could raise a very effective force very quickly. Weapons, sure, they're nice. 7.62, applied with the precision that commercial modern technology allows, can defeat a vast amount of expensive LEO infrastructure.

"One of the most dangerous weapons that evolved was the cell phone, and I don't mean just as an IED trigger. The ability to do rapid command and control and otherwise communicate instantly was formerly the province of organized militaries."

I agree, which is why the Powers That Be (PTB) have a tested solution. Simply jam the cell signals. In the Bay Area a couple of weeks back, the Transit authorities did just that to prevent flash demonstrations. Imagine what the authorities wil do when the excremnent really hits the fan.

I’m not going to defend the “tactical fever” LEO organizations seem to be suffering from, but the “playing field” isn’t level when you start talking about the big gang organizations in the cities. Yes, civilians can already get NVG, armor, comms etc. The gangs can get heavy weapons, and not just guns; they can and do already pack grenades, bombs, and sometimes rocketry, or can get it quickly. That’s the threat that LE organizations are worried about, and to some extent, the concern is legitimate. However, the proliferation of BDUs and tactical equipment into small-town forces is overdone, and fosters a dangerous mindset in the LEOs who wear it.