Quote from Reaver:
.....you get some crazy cop out there who doesn't know what he's doing and he could spray a crowd like it ain't shit, totally on accident...
So not talking shit about cops in general...it is the concept of the US becoming a police state that is concerning me.
On one hand, it is good to have well equipped police officers in the same manner it is good to have well equipped troops in warfare. Same concept.
On the other, when you are equipping a force under the control of corrupt leadership with vastly superior firepower in large numbers....bad shit can happen. Majorly UNCONSTITUTIONAL shit can happen.
My thoughts exactly.
Cops should never possess assault weapons.
Someone please name one contemporary instance where traditional firepower (shotguns, handguns and overwhelming force) was insufficient to take down a criminal enterprise in the United States.
The only instance I can think of is the border war with Mexican Military & Drug Cartels. This is a military matter, anyway. Not law enforcement.
Posse Comitatus is toast. No help there.
You are right. The police are becoming Militarized. Helicopters, tanks, APC's, swat teams, assault rifles, black masks, tazers, random 'checkpoints', pain compliance.
This is not what the Founders intended for the reason you expressly gave.
The Country has lost its way. Granted, there are plenty of good Cops.
But how many of those "Good Cops" will follow orders when it comes time to confiscate firearms, run check points or round up citizens to internment camps?
Lots of them. You can bet on it.