Yes, as it shifts the perception of the police force and what their job is.
No, they already think that.
Hell fucking no. At most, we should give special units MRAPs, but AFV's are out of the fucking question.
The limit  is not a clear cut line, but exists when police begin to look less like a protectorate group ensuring the safety of citizens and look more like an occupying force rooting out insurgency.

Quote from: Kinder on December 05, 2014, 01:00:08 PM

No
No
No

Again, you want to explain at all? I know you did a paragraph below about domestic terror and all that shit (Hint: There's the military and national guard in nearly every state for that), but that doesn't answer these questions.

Doesn't require a lot of explaining

If police are to protect people in a situation like the OK bombing, Boston Marathon, 9/11, etc then they can't operate just wearing a shirt and pair of pants, they need to been prepared for aftermath attacks and any possible individuals waiting to attacking people

Military, being under federal regulations, simply can't come charging in and the Governor has to call in the N.G first before they can come in. The police are already in the city, town, county, etc of where the situation is happening so they will be responding first. Wait a few hours for the Guard to show up then people will be complaining about police not being out trying to keep the situation under control and helping them

We have the most militarized public in the world. So its common sense that the police should be a step above the public with their equipment.

Then why not ban gun ownership?

Purpose of the police and government isn't to be better outfitted than the public as the public being armed instills a deterrence to government abuse

Quote from: Kinder on December 05, 2014, 01:07:31 PM

Quote from: IcyWind on December 05, 2014, 01:01:42 PM

Quote from: Kinder on December 05, 2014, 01:00:08 PM

No
No
No

Again, you want to explain at all? I know you did a paragraph below about domestic terror and all that shit (Hint: There's the military and national guard in nearly every state for that), but that doesn't answer these questions.

Doesn't require a lot of explaining

If police are to protect people in a situation like the OK bombing, Boston Marathon, 9/11, etc then they can't operate just wearing a shirt and pair of pants, they need to been prepared for aftermath attacks and any possible individuals waiting to attacking people

Military, being under federal regulations, simply can't come charging in and the Governor has to call in the N.G first before they can come in. The police are already in the city, town, county, etc of where the situation is happening so they will be responding first. Wait a few hours for the Guard to show up then people will be complaining about police not being out trying to keep the situation under control and helping them

Doesn't at all answer the questions.

Does the militarization of police further separate the community, which is meant to be protected and follow the law, to the people "protecting" them? - Police have tanks, citizens have a pistol. You don't think this isn't going to cause problems? 10, 15 years ago, you'd see police officers on the street, knew members of the community by name. The hell did that go?

Does the militarization of police further ingrain the thought that they are above the law? - Again, the division of police to the community.

Is it a good idea to provide money for police to buy "tank-like vehicles", as the Syracuse Police Chief here in New York would like to do? - You say no to this, but then go to the argument of "Militarization is good because it helps stop domestic terror attacks and their aftermaths", which seemingly contradicts your no to tanks.

It's only going to cause a problem if the person with the handgun is being defiant, violating the law, and conducting actions that violate others. 10, 15 years ago you saw police with a lack of college education and actual training. Today you see police trained in a professional manner, and not acting like a group of southern good ole boys who just gave badges out to each other. I see police all the time out interacting with the community and getting involved

Police have always had a distinct division from the public, but because the public tends to make that push more. People will always view somebody that can put them behind bars differently than their doctor or coach, it's just how things are. Police being equipped with the right equipment helps them to protect the community and deal with any possible threats to the community. If they were trying to root themselves from the public then you wouldn't see them out helping people with the smallest requests

I've never used the term militarization; I've phrases similar to the idea of appropriate gear. A tank is something very illogical, especially in an urban setting. Police are not fighting a foreign invasion force, they're dealing with criminals and in certain situations, terrorists who work on small-scale operations using tactics and guerilla fighting

• Does the militarization of police further separate the community, which is meant to be protected and follow the law, to the people "protecting" them?

Yes.  What ever distance between the two is further expanded by giving one side more.

• Does the militarization of police further ingrain the thought that they are above the law?

No, their actions do.

• Is it a good idea to provide money for police to buy "tank-like vehicles", as the Syracuse Police Chief here in New York would like to do?

No, complete waste seeing as an extremely large majority won't need it.  It'll be introduced under the guise of protecting people but be used for drug raids.

• Where is the limit?

I don't completely know.[/list]

Quote from: IcyWind on December 05, 2014, 01:28:26 PM

Quote from: Kinder on December 05, 2014, 01:21:34 PM

10, 15 years ago you saw police with a lack of college education and actual training. Today you see police trained in a professional manner, and not acting like a group of southern good ole boys who just gave badges out to each other. I see police all the time out interacting with the community and getting involved

Come now Kinder. There is a huge difference between police not being trained well, and police who was friendly with the community, interacted with the children, knew people by name. That's not unprofessional - that's not being a stuck up dick.

Sure, it'll happen in the little communities, but that has totally been erased in nearly every city/urban area across the country.

Quote

Police being equipped with the right equipment helps them to protect the community and deal with any possible threats to the community.

I'm sorry, but remind me again when a police force is going to need this?

Quote

A tank is something very illogical, especially in an urban setting. Police are not fighting a foreign invasion force, they're dealing with criminals and incertain situations, terrorists who work on small-scale operations using tactics and guerilla fighting

Italicized part - very, very, very few cases,

So, basically, we have police who are being given military-grade equipment to deal with, most of the time, basic criminals.

Why do you think I don't want to work in a big urban police department? There's so much crime and other things going on that police don't have the time to interact with the community like they should. I want to work in a suburban and smaller size department in order to actually be part of the community like many of departments across the nation currently do

Situations like Ferguson where protesters are actively destroying police vehicles and property they don't own. Or situations like a school shooting. It provides a safe and secure transportation of not only law enforcement, but can also be used to move and evacuate by standers or injured people

What you say is few isn't few for police. In an active shooter, kidnapping, hostage situation or delivering an arrest or search warrant, tools such as protective vests and AR-15s are an investment to protect lives and not have officers killed when they could have otherwise been saved

So to put it simply you want the police to look like this?   

Quote from: Kinder on December 05, 2014, 01:45:36 PM

Quote from: IcyWind on December 05, 2014, 01:28:26 PM

Quote from: Kinder on December 05, 2014, 01:21:34 PM

10, 15 years ago you saw police with a lack of college education and actual training. Today you see police trained in a professional manner, and not acting like a group of southern good ole boys who just gave badges out to each other. I see police all the time out interacting with the community and getting involved

Come now Kinder. There is a huge difference between police not being trained well, and police who was friendly with the community, interacted with the children, knew people by name. That's not unprofessional - that's not being a stuck up dick.

Sure, it'll happen in the little communities, but that has totally been erased in nearly every city/urban area across the country.

Quote

Police being equipped with the right equipment helps them to protect the community and deal with any possible threats to the community.

I'm sorry, but remind me again when a police force is going to need this?

Quote

A tank is something very illogical, especially in an urban setting. Police are not fighting a foreign invasion force, they're dealing with criminals and incertain situations, terrorists who work on small-scale operations using tactics and guerilla fighting

Italicized part - very, very, very few cases,

So, basically, we have police who are being given military-grade equipment to deal with, most of the time, basic criminals.

Why do you think I don't want to work in a big urban police department? There's so much crime and other things going on that police don't have the time to interact with the community like they should. I want to work in a suburban and smaller size department in order to actually be part of the community like many of departments across the nation currently do

Situations like Ferguson where protesters are actively destroying police vehicles and property they don't own. Or situations like a school shooting. It provides a safe and secure transportation of not only law enforcement, but can also be used to move and evacuate by standers or injured people

What you say is few isn't few for police. In an active shooter, kidnapping, hostage situation or delivering an arrest or search warrant, tools such as protective vests and AR-15s are an investment to protect lives and not have officers killed when they could have otherwise been saved

So to put it simply you want the police to look like this?   

Spoiler

How about reading?

The limit is where police start patrolling in Humvees dressed in urban BDUs

First or second sentence in my initial response to the thread