Would PMCs such as Dyncorp and Blackwater act as law enforcement in a disaster?

[Heist]

We've seen the NOLA confiscations.

We've seen PMCs getting permission to own whatever weapons they want.

We've seen private police forces getting broader powers.

Blackwater is in NC. North Carolina has interesting laws for private cops. They are lumped into the definition of law enforcement officers, get the powers of law enforcement officers, and they get exemptions from those annoying laws that apply to normal citizens.

Since none, zero, zilch (0) of the law enforcement agencies from various states going into NOLA had a problem with kicking in doors and snatching weapons and beating up little old ladies (not even the tiniest smidgen of a second thought), and if Blackwater and other agencies will qualify as law enforcement, how long before the PMCs are doing it too?

The military background of most PMC employees is no proof that they would be averse to disarming or firing on American citizens- members of the military overwhelmingly assented in polls and questionaires that they would participate in a confiscation if ordered. In fact, because they're doing it for money alone, it's even more likely.

 

[G-Cym]

You may want to change your link from a list of ALL N.C. laws to the page that actually talks about police officers.

 

[Heist]

Voila, quotes and commentary credit gc70:

First, they are lumped into the definition of law enforcement officers.

Article 54B - Concealed Handgun Permit - § 14-415.10. Definitions.

(4) Qualified former sworn law enforcement officer. – An individual who retired from service as a law enforcement officer with a local, State, campus police, or company police agency in North Carolina
(5) Qualified sworn law enforcement officer. – A law enforcement officer employed by a local, State, campus police, or company police agency in North Carolina

They get the powers of law enforcement officers.

Chapter 74E - Company Police Act - § 74E-6. Oaths, powers, and authority of company police officers.

(c) All Company Police. – Company police officers, while in the performance of their duties of employment, have the same powers as municipal and county police officers to make arrests for both felonies and misdemeanors and to charge for infractions

Company police officers shall have, if duly authorized by the superior officer in charge, the authority to carry concealed weapons pursuant to and in conformity with G.S. 14-269(b)(5).

And they get exemptions from pesky laws (such as concealed carry restrictions) that apply to normal citizens.

Article 35 - Offenses Against the Public Peace - § 14-269. Carrying concealed weapons.

(a1) It shall be unlawful for any person willfully and intentionally to carry concealed about his person any pistol or gun except in the following circumstances:
(b) This prohibition shall not apply to the following persons:
(5) Sworn law-enforcement officers, when off duty

Another gem from North Carolina is the prohibition on owning machine guns, except worthy businesses.

Article 52A - Sale of Weapons in Certain Counties - § 14-409. Machine guns and other like weapons.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to manufacture, sell, give away, dispose of, use or possess machine guns, submachine guns, or other like weapons as defined by subsection (a) of this section: Provided, however, that this subsection shall not apply to the following:

Banks, merchants, and recognized business establishments for use in their respective places of business, who shall first apply to and receive from the sheriff of the county in which said business is located, a permit to possess the said weapons for the purpose of defending the said business;

 

[deadin]

while in the performance of their duties of employment

That should have answered your question. (Only on company property, unless sworn in as Law Enforcment Offices.)

 

[liliysdad]

Since none, zero, zilch (0) of the law enforcement agencies from various states going into NOLA had a problem with kicking in doors and snatching weapons and beating up little old ladies (not even the tiniest smidgen of a second thought), and if Blackwater and other agencies will qualify as law enforcement, how long before the PMCs are doing it too?

Were you actually there? Did you tail every single agency in NOLA, and witness them do these things? There were atrocities committed in that city during that time by my brethren that make my blood boil, but to be so asinine to make the statement that every single agency committed these crimes is absurd.

Gross generalizations seem to be your modus operandi, and it gets a bit old. When you can say something regarding the abuse of police power that makes ME mad, you have definitely accomplished something.

 

[oldbillthundercheif]

Blackwater was in 'Narlins after the hurricaine. Rich folks hired them to secure their neighborhoods (at least one semi-gated community just up St. Charles, anyway).

They stood around looking mean. I don't think they did any police work or had to fire on anyone...

I guess criminals are not as stupid as they sometimes seem.

 

[Heist]

I'll bite.

Were you actually there? Did you tail every single agency in NOLA, and witness them do these things? There were atrocities committed in that city during that time by my brethren that make my blood boil, but to be so asinine to make the statement that every single agency committed these crimes is absurd.

They are conspicuous by their silence. Show me the cops who spoke up. Show me the department that said "we're not going along with this unconstitutional order to confiscate guns."

 

[liliysdad]

Of course you dont, its not sensational news. I was not there, I do not presume to know what happened, but I also refuse to base my views of what did occur on a few news media clips.

 

[Bud Helms]

Heist:

... They are conspicuous by their silence. Show me the cops who spoke up. Show me the department that said "we're not going along with this unconstitutional order to confiscate guns."

The innocent are not required nor feel compelled to prove their innocence. Making assumptions and accusations under the guise of fact and then requiring those who call you on it to prove you wrong is dishonest.

If anyone wants to discuss post-Katrina New Orleans and the misbehavior of some (for the thousandth time) in a sane, honest manner, please have a go. But unfounded, full scale generalizations force-grown into broad allegations of all law enforcement agencies participating in civil unrest because we did not here them denying it is just too consiratorial for even me. And I have no love lost for law enforcement that violates civil law.

I hope we let this topic sink off the bottom of the page with no me too posts.

 

[Blackwater OPS]

Blackwater has gun people in it, probably in greater scale than LE or Military, who know what the Second Amendment means. I would be more worried about the .gov than blackwater folks. Hell, you might hire blackwater to protect you from the gov if things get really bad.

 

[theberettaman]

Hell, you might hire blackwater to protect you from the gov if things get really bad.

Then the government says: " oh by the way Mr.Owner of Blackwater,if you ever want to see another government contract,ahhh,we need you to ahhh yeeaaa, go ahead and stop this foolish notion, of uhmm,protecting those folks and let us do our job".:barf:

 

[Blackwater OPS]

Then the government says: " oh by the way Mr.Owner of Blackwater,if you ever want to see another government contract,ahhh,we need you to ahhh yeeaaa, go ahead and stop this foolish notion, of uhmm,protecting those folks and let us do our job"

Heheh, I figure by that time the government will have screwed with economy to much it will broke, and more cash will be in civilian hands, probably black market leaders.

 

[theberettaman]

Thats a given!

 

[Danzig]

Blackwater, Triple Canopy, and groups like them will support the desires and policies of those who pay them..period. They are not modern day minutemen..they are at best, private security..at worst, mercenaries. I'm not saying that they are bad or evil..simply that they will carry out the wishes of those who employ them..be that a government entity or private person.

 

[gc70]

Blackwater, Triple Canopy, and groups like them are will support the desires and policies of those who pay them..period.

That, in a nutshell, is why I am opposed to private police.

I have no problem with private contractors performing the same functions that citizens can perform.

• Guard property? Sure, citizens can do that.
• Be armed? Sure, citizens can (generally) be armed on their property.
• Make arrests? Sure, make citizens arrests just like normal citizens.

I do have problems with private contractors being granted "police powers" which are a function of the state. Government is as least nominally accountable to the people for its exercise of police powers.

 

[JR47]

Government is as least nominally accountable to the people for its exercise of police powers.

Good luck on that, brother. Do you mean that the Police would be held accountable if they failed to answer your call for help? Maybe that the county who elected the Sheriff that illegally siezed property should pay for his actions? Like that's going to happen.:barf:

 

[Blackwater OPS]

I do have problems with private contractors being granted "police powers" which are a function of the state.

Yeah, a police state.

Seems to me we did just fine without a cop around every corner for two hundred years. Who did the policing then? The militia. Oh wait, most states outlawed that now...

 

[gc70]

Seems to me we did just fine without a cop around every corner for two hundred years. Who did the policing then? The militia. Oh wait, most states outlawed that now...

When do you think we started having police in this country?

Let's see... it must have been before my wife's ancestor was elected as the constable in his little town in western Virginia in the 1790s. Oh yeah, they also had county sheriffs back then... that's who arrested the constable when he got drunk after the election.

 

[Blackwater OPS]

Having a county sheriff or a constable goes all the way back to the days of feudalism, but that is a far cry from the sort of police we have today.

 

[Redworm]

Yeah, a police state.

Seems to me we did just fine without a cop around every corner for two hundred years. Who did the policing then? The militia. Oh wait, most states outlawed that now...

The country didn't have the same population density two hundred years ago. It makes a very significant difference.