GUEST POST by Gene J. Malvino (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) —
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for the opportunity to share with you some thoughts on a very important and current subject.
I hope to help you understand the cultural, historical, and political contexts of the increasing militarization of the American police force and to articulate the role of the citizens and the media in defining their relationships with the police.
This issue is especially pertinent in light of the expose' of expanded government surveillance, usurpation of our civil rights, and how Americans are being conned into trading their fundamental freedoms and liberty for alleged security.
Through my research and interpretation of relevant government, scientific, political, historical, and journalistic material as well as recent studies completed by leading think tanks, I hope to convey a warning that America is rapidly sinking into a police state dictatorship.
The growing militarization of our police now threatens American liberty. This threat is evident from the increasing arsenal of sophisticated weapons available to police units, the changing image of the police within communities, and the growing idea that the police can and should use any means necessary to maintain order. What began with the militarization of police in the 1980's during the government's war on drugs has snowballed into a full-fledged integration of military weaponry, technology, and tactics into police protocol.
In 1981, Congress passed the Military Cooperation with Law Enforcement Act, which granted the military the power to help local police forces wage the "war on drugs" by sharing equipment, training, and intelligence.
In 1997, Congress approved the 1033 Program, which allowed the secretary of defense to transfer surplus military supplies and weapons to local law enforcement agencies without charge. Since 1997, 17,000 agencies have acquired $2.6 billion worth of weapons and equipment.
When viewed in a historical context, these patterns bear a resemblance to those observed in the early stages of the world's past police states such as Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, the Soviet Union, Communist China, Cuba, etc...
The increasing militarization of the police poses a real threat to American civil liberties, especially our First and Fourth Amendment freedoms. In the face of an increasingly powerful police force, we, the American public must inform ourselves about the issues at stake and ensure that police protect order but also protect liberty in our communities.
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Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for the opportunity to share with you some thoughts on a very important and current subject.
I hope to help you understand the cultural, historical, and political contexts of the increasing militarization of the American police force and to articulate the role of the citizens and the media in defining their relationships with the police.
This issue is especially pertinent in light of the expose' of expanded government surveillance, usurpation of our civil rights, and how Americans are being conned into trading their fundamental freedoms and liberty for alleged security.
Through my research and interpretation of relevant government, scientific, political, historical, and journalistic material as well as recent studies completed by leading think tanks, I hope to convey a warning that America is rapidly sinking into a police state dictatorship.
The growing militarization of our police now threatens American liberty. This threat is evident from the increasing arsenal of sophisticated weapons available to police units, the changing image of the police within communities, and the growing idea that the police can and should use any means necessary to maintain order. What began with the militarization of police in the 1980's during the government's war on drugs has snowballed into a full-fledged integration of military weaponry, technology, and tactics into police protocol.
In 1981, Congress passed the Military Cooperation with Law Enforcement Act, which granted the military the power to help local police forces wage the "war on drugs" by sharing equipment, training, and intelligence.
In 1997, Congress approved the 1033 Program, which allowed the secretary of defense to transfer surplus military supplies and weapons to local law enforcement agencies without charge. Since 1997, 17,000 agencies have acquired $2.6 billion worth of weapons and equipment.
When viewed in a historical context, these patterns bear a resemblance to those observed in the early stages of the world's past police states such as Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, the Soviet Union, Communist China, Cuba, etc...
The increasing militarization of the police poses a real threat to American civil liberties, especially our First and Fourth Amendment freedoms. In the face of an increasingly powerful police force, we, the American public must inform ourselves about the issues at stake and ensure that police protect order but also protect liberty in our communities.
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