US police have Tanks??

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   earnestshubposted 12 years ago

   Just read about it on the net. I knew America had been militarised since 911 but this looks to be a dangerous developement.
   
   http://www.alternet.org/story/151528/wh … =1&t=2

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      rebekahELLEposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      In large drug raids, they use paramilitary tactics with heavily armed SWAT teams.  That article is actually very interesting and informative. Thanks for posting the link. I found another one from a Detroit paper which includes the article you posted.
      http://voiceofdetroit.net/?p=8425#more-8425
      A discussion about the introduction of SWAT teams in the 1960's and the gradual use of paramilitary tactics used in police work in the 80's (under Reagan with the war against drugs) would make a decent hub topic. It escalated throughout the 90's. I really don't want to see a tank driving through my community.

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      uncorrectedvisionposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      No where near as militarized as you might think.  Police have been using armored vehicles for decades.  It was not unusual during prohibition for police or Treasury agents to use armored cars on raids.  Watch "Die Hard"  the armored car used in that film is similar to one that has been available for special weapons units for years.
      
      Watch riots from all over the world.  There have been water cannon equipped armored cars employed for years.

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   TMMasonposted 12 years ago

   Yes the govt is so far beyond what it has any right to be... that it is hard to see how something cannot give very soon.
   
   Pressure is being applied from all sides in this society. I fear we will be in a bad way, very soon.

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      earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      So the alternet story is true? Or only part of it?
      
      The little girl being killed in that way seemed like terrible incompetence and a complete lack of regard for the public by the police if it is true!

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         TMMasonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Let me look into it some more, E.
         
         But I wouldn't doubt a child killed in a flawed and failed police action.... nither would I doubt the police have militarized some more than they already were. The were buiying up M16s and Kevlar suits last I knew, all military suplus and were sued about it, and the court said it was cool.... so... maybe?
         
         I will get back to you in while on more if I find it.

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   TMMasonposted 12 years ago

   Wiki got a pretty good write up on the child's death. Sad story... God bless her soul..
   
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Aiyana_Jones

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   TMMasonposted 12 years ago

   "in-demand police vehicle is a 10-officer 16,000-pound armored tank that takes bullets like Superman and drives 80 mph"
   
   From what I have found it is more an Armored personal carrier than a "tank" per-say. So I think it is a lil more hype than reality, E. I have not seen anything with a tank, canon and all 50 cals, rockets, etc... nothing like it so far...
   
   But they have hardened their arsenal in the last decade or so... but I do not know that equates to tanks and the like. Nor that that is a bad thing in general.
   
   http://truth-media.info/?p=1836
   
   
   
   

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   Emile Rposted 12 years ago

   Yes. All local police have tanks. My car got squashed, just the other day, when one rolled down the side road I was parked on. Barely escaped with my life. They gave me a ticket for being out during daylight hours. Nazis.
   
   Get real Ernest. You should know by now, especially after reading these forums; you shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet.

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      earnestshubposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Well I was not sure how much truth was in it, and TM has already said they are not tanks, so I am inclined to agree.
      
      It looks like there is a section of the police force who use excessive force when dealing with the public though, and the vehicles they ordered are pretty formidable.

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         Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Sorry.  I raised a heavy eyebrow at your comment.  It appeared that you were implying we were becoming a police state. Which, I'm sure you know is not true.
         
         But, heavy handedness in police departments is not unique to this country.  A quick search of google yielded multiple sites talking about police brutality in Australia.
         
         http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/32615   
         http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=pol … FORM=VDRE#
         
         That's a danger of what can happen with police in general.

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            uncorrectedvisionposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            It is a tough job balancing the force required to maintain the peace against the force required to guarantee one's own personal safety.  The primary duty of a police officer is to survive his shift and go home health.  After that comes all other duties, with out that the police would not remain compassionate or human for long.

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         Quilligrapherposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Earnest, the Bank of America robbery in 1997 was a wake-up call for American law enforcement. This 45-minute battle in Hollywood, California, revealed that the criminals now had access to more firepower than police officers on the street. This video shows how  police had to “borrow” assault weapons from a nearby gun shop in order to defend themselves.
         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9SWG1f--GY

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            TMMasonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Yes it was, Qill... wide awake they are now, after that incident.

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