The Militarization of American Police

N

Nightcrawler

New member
I'm not going to post an article or make any long-winded comments on the subject, as I'm not really that familliar with it. Also, being 19, I wasn't alive "in the old days", so basically, the world as it is today is all I know.

I do understand, however, that police, especially federal police, are getting more and more aggressive, some stepping over the bounds on a routine basis. So, I pose these questions for TFL, asking for opinions and ideas.

-Are federal police as we know them Constitutional? According to the Constitution, there are only three federal crimes: Treason, Counterfeiting, and Piracy. Should the FBI be limited to investigating these? Is the FBI "Constitutionally sound" at all? Can't state law enforcement kick the feds out of an investigation of no federal laws were broken?

-How come federal police agencies are getting more aggressive?

-What is UP with the ATF? How is it possible that one agency has such a bug up its butt? Is it a requirement that you hate gun owners to be a member of the BATF? Sheesh!

-Who or what trends are responsible for the massive enlargement of the federal government, and its law enforcement agencies? How did it all get started? Will it ever end?

-Why do people seem to like consolidation of power, despite the obvious historical dangers of it? It seems many people in theis country today don't trust state or local governments with something, but are willing to trust a bloated federal government that is farther out of touch with them as individuals.

-What would be the ideal structure of Federal Law Enforcement, and how should it relate to State and Local law enforcement? What guidelines and checks should be put into place to prevent abuse of power?

-Taking the 10th Ammendment into account, is there ANYTHING in the Constution that would permit Federal Law Enforcement as it exists? The Constitution notwithstanding, is there a role for federal law enforcement in the world today?
 
You have enough for a book of answers, so I'll just hit on part of it.

Congress has used the Interstate Commerce clause of the Constitution to justify many laws which otherwise would be unconstitutional. So, the FBI's earliest purposes included investigations of kidnappings...

Most of the hostility of federal agents, and the zeal for gun control laws, has stemmed from various factors of the "War on Drugs".

The recent (roughly) 70 years of increased federal powers derive from Roosevelt's policies and WW II; next, the Great Society programs of LBJ. After that, cherchez le money--when there are all manner of programs, regulations and controls, people develop a vested interest in getting the federal money involved in either "consulting" or legal work.

Barest bones; hope it helps.

Art
 
This is more like the purposeful ignoring of the Constitution by LE, Legislators, and Judges than militarization.

Personally I don't think Federal LE should even exist.
 
Brothers & Sisters-in-Arms,

"This is more like the purposeful ignoring of the Constitution by LE, Legislators, and Judges than militarization. "
Senor Cuerno de Chivo - You've almost struck a resonant chord!
It is not LIKE purposeful ignoring...It is EXACTLY ignoring.
But here lies the rub:
If you allow an officer to intimidate you and give in to alleged "forced demands", such as "may I search your vehicle?", then you're strengthening LE's belief that there are more criminals out here than lawful citizens.
The courts are maleable regarding them and the application of 'positive Law Enforcement'.
Do they Miranda? May they search? What are your right's...Ah! Now THAT's the question.
Ever heard of the protection against illegal search & seizure? First Amendment? Protection against self incrimination?
Intimidation and innuendo have become the norm.
There are some practical reasons such as "controlloing the scene of a "stop". However, cuffing, securing you in the patrol vehicle and combing your vehicle for evidence would seem to violate the 'rules' of:
Plain View Search
Protection against illegal search and seizure
False imprisonment
Habeas corpus and several others.
Why do citizens allow it to happen? Because DA's want to strut their stuff. Salaries need to be paid. And equipment costs must be amortized. And MOST OF ALL because we don't K-N-O-W the laws as they apply?
If you'll note, this attitude has come about because of an attitude of 'just-how-far-can-we-go-and-get-away-with-it'.
Start in the Clinton White House and digress.
There is only ONE THING which is PC, (politically correct), and that is the VOTE. Everything else is just harassment!
Spend some time and learn more about the laws.
Find out if your state has laws regarding an officer's "failure to perform". (Wisconsin Statutes, 1975 "Little Red Book")
Write your elected officials and advise them that your rights and those of others must be protected in a decent manner. Relay your fears of a "police state" without warrant to your state and federal congreespersons and senators.
Take an active part.
Otherwise, you'll get a unique sensation when travelling through some states, (i.e. FL), where all law enforcement personnel appear to be wearing a uniform strongly reminiscent of pre-WWII Germany.
Or is it just your imagination?
Lastly. Be aware that bureaucrats are assigning enforcement tasks to agencies which either fail to follow charter or primary enforcement responsibilities like those of committees generating "guidelines" in apparant violation of Constitutional priveledges. In other words the "spin doctors" are crafting responsibilities LIKE laws to ensnare alleged violators. Stay Alert - Stay Alive!
Regards,
Lance Gothic
Shibumi
 
Whew! What a subject!

The militarization of police ( and police-like entities ) should concern every citizen who loves freedom, civil rights and justice.

You have heard that even the EPA has SWAT teams?

A great shout of "WHY?" should echo thru out America- but it hasn't.... at least not yet!

I call myself "conservative, but with a libertarian streak in my strong right wing" for several reasons, not the least of which is that I decided long ago that I'd rather deal with consequences of "more potential criminals loose on the street" than with the consequences of "RoboCop policemen, no-knock/warrantless raids, and the War on ( some ) Drugs..."

Waco was a classic blood-curdling moment when I saw Military force used against a bunch of civillians...

...who should have faced a process-server rather than tanks.

They were summarily executed, in my none-to-humble opinion.

We all- right, left, and center- need to resist this trend, for what is done to one group now out of favor may be turned against our group next.

There is a book that all concerned Patriots needs to get, and share with family and friends. Pray you never need to use the knowledge, but if such a time comes, it will be too late to get the book:

"Total Resistance" by von Dach Bern ( 5th printing Feb. 1981 by Paladin Press ) ISBN # 0-87364-021-7

( And, no, I am not fomenting violence or revolution, for you lurkers out there-- what I am advocating is acquiring knowledge against the day you may need it... )
 
It is a natural byproduct of tyranny, the need to instill fear in the populous in order to force servitude, and the endless string of "laws" that have to be "upheld" cannot produce any other out come. What is the way of civilized man ?

Tyranny to liberty
liberty to apathy
apathy to tyranny
tyranny to liberty

or something like that, the trouble this time is that this will not be a isolated incedent.
 
This memorable quotation is from Sir Alex Fraser Tytler (1742-1813). Scottish jurist and historian, he was widely known in his time and was professor of Universal History at Edinburgh University in the late 18th century.

The quotation is from the 1801 collection of his lectures:

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largess from the public treasury. From that time on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the results that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.

The average age of the world's great civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence:
from bondage to spiritual faith;
from spiritual faith to great courage;
from courage to liberty;
from liberty to abundance;
from abundance to selfishness;
from selfishness to complacency;
from complacency to apathy;
from apathy to dependency;
from dependency back again to bondage."
 
I would say it started right with George Washington and his use of federal troops (law enforcement) in the Pennsylvania Whiskey Rebellion of 1790(?). The big change came after the War of 1861-5. That was the penultimit victory of the federal gov over state rights. The growth and power of the federal gov has never slowed.

It all comes down to power and money. Without enemies, they would have no one to protect us from. Without inequalities, they would have no reason to social engineer a level table. We have given up the freedom of inequalities and the responsibility to live and die according to our choices. The gov needs these issues to rationalize their existence.

Since we have guns and are a threat to the power brokers, they are whittling away our RKBA freedom. The MMM is probably just being dupped, but government powers and HCI know that this game is for all the marbles.

An important part of our strategy must be the education of the children. To see what centralized schooling has brought and who the people are pulling the strings, read "The Underground History of American Education" by John Taylor Gatto, 2000-2001. He was New York City and New York State teacher of the year in 1992(?)when he quit because of the damage the system was doing to the children.
 
The growth of FedGov, the growth of FedPolice and the increase in civilian disarmament are symptoms of the same social evolution.

What were once temporary Statesmen have become lifetime politicians. Politicians gravitate to places of greater power, then enact laws and precedence to pool even more power around their current office. This is why state governments are a joke and DC is the eternal hall of power.
This trend has continued to the point of creating a permanent and protected "ruling political class."

This Ruling Political Class recognizes itself and does only the things that will firm its position, remove threats, and add to it privileged lifestyle.

The level of disregard and callousness this Ruling Political Class has for all lower classes rivals that of Medieval Europe's royal families.

The Federal Police are given great power and leeway to stamp out any enclave of peasants that might have anti-royal thoughts. Examples are made on a regular basis to instill a true fear in the peasantry.

The peasantry exist only to generate the capital that the ruling political class lives on. Any other activity of the mind is dangerous.

The major media nodes are a part of the ruling political class and aid the power elite by spreading propaganda and demonizing the concept of liberty and excellence. The FedPolice will also be painted in a positive light at all times by this State Media.

The FedPolice keep the peasants in check while the masters feed off them. An armed peasantry is clearly troublesome to these "people."
 
I was discussing a similar situation with a member of this site. Seems Alaska, (Fairbanks), is arming its LEO's with full auto's.

Has the peasants become that bad I wonder? Seems like it should be the other way around. Keep your powder dry is all I can say. Who knows what the future holds. They (the gumberment), think the peasants are just that, peasants.

I guess 200+ years of a constitutional republic is to much for them to bear. Thank the news media for making violence seem an everyday occurance in every town all over.

Its not really. The newspapers should tell you that. Most of the violence occurs overseas. We are still a great country and need to take it back. Remember that in 2002 and everytime you get a chance to vote, run for office, dispell myths, etc.
 
More specifically, in Fairbanks AK, full auto _SILENCED_ weapons!! MP5SD's!! To use against the occasional snow machine thief presumably (as that's about the most serious crime we see up here).

These trends should be viewed with great alarm.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top