Militarization of American Policing: Fact or Fiction?
Being a police officer in America today is a complicated proposition. Officers need to be capable of speaking to a kindergarten class about their jobs as “officer friendly” in the morning and then respond to mitigate an active shooter situation that same afternoon. The next day could bring a crowd control assignment at an emotionally charged event followed by representing one’s agency at a community meeting of concerned residents that night. In between these assignments, that same officer might respond to an adrenaline rushing armed business robbery in progress, and then have to readjust his/her bearings for their next call to console grieving family members over the death of a loved one.
Communities should expect their police officers to be able to rise to meet such diverse challenges and police agencies go to great lengths to recruit the right people to do this difficult job. Police officers knowingly accept working within this challenging environment for a modest wage and a chance to make a positive difference in their communities. Officers know they will be continually critiqued by those they serve, continually questioned by the news media, and will see support from politicians come and go during their careers. But, there is one thing we owe our officers in return; the equipment that gives them the best chance to go home safely to their families at the end of the day.
2014 and 2015 were dominated by news reports quoting politicians and activists alike, who lined up to criticize the “militarization of the police.” Some publicized images gave rise to legitimate questions that are always healthy for public debate. But there appeared to be a rush to judgment over the equipment police officers carry and an unwillingness to look objectively at the facts. Emotion overtook logic and political agendas trumped fact-finding.
Guns are engrained in American culture and are here to stay, creating inherent danger for American police officers. In fact, just last month, Black Friday shoppers lined up for a record 185,345 pre-gun purchase background checks. Those guns, including powerful assault rifles, may be purchased by law abiding citizens, like you and me, or they may be purchased by extremists such as Colorado women’s clinic Shooter Robert Dear or San Bernardino, California terrorists Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik. High-powered firearms are also a staple in a glamorized criminal subculture and are routinely recovered in search warrants at drug houses. Now for the next reality check for Americans, your local police are your only real line of defense against well-armed domestic criminals, active shooters and foreign inspired terrorists. The U.S. military and Federal law enforcement partners are not postured or permitted to be first responders to emergencies such as this.
The terrorist event in San Bernardino was a good example of well-trained officers using the right equipment to get the job done while keeping themselves and their communities safe as possible under dangerous circumstances. Without that specialized equipment, additional officers and civilians would likely have been killed or injured. That equipment happened to be assault rifles and armored vehicles like the Lenco Bearcat and the Ring Power Rook. These are some of the same pieces of equipment criticized during the police militarization debate, but this is what it takes to get the job done, protect police officers and protect the public. Officers should not have to apologize for using this equipment to protect your family as they try to get home in one piece to their own.
There is room for debate in this country as to how police officers go about their jobs in our communities. This civil debate is what America is all about. But it is unethical and illogical to deny officers the equipment they need to meet existing threats and safely accomplish their missions while protecting the citizens they serve. This extends beyond tactical teams. Patrol officers are likely to be the first to encounter active shooters and terrorists. Dealing with those threats right away is key to minimizing their capacity to kill and to saving innocent lives. Protecting your family is a calling for police officers, but getting them home to their families safely each day is something we should all be concerned about. Police officers are not disposable agents of the government; they are fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters who are performing demanding and dangerous jobs.
RLend is a contributor to the Homeland Security (HS) Vortex which is a platform where insiders from the policy, law enforcement, fire service and emergency management fields converge to discuss issues related to Homeland Security.
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