De-militarize & de-weaponize local police forces

[Patriot]

Having worked in security & law enforcement, I have to agree with much of what Whitehead has to say in this article.  If unchecked, working in law enforcement can create one helluva power trip for officers & deputies... giving them unrestricted access to militarized assets often only makes it worse.

Welcome to the United Police States of America
Nov. 5, 2013 9:00am
John W. Whitehead - The Rutherford Institute

...Unfortunately, this police preoccupation with ensuring their own safety at all costs—a mindset that many older law enforcement officials find abhorrent in light of the more selfless code on which they were trained—is spreading like a plague among the ranks of police officers across the country, with tragic consequences for the innocent civilians unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet the fatality rate of on-duty patrol officers is reportedly far lower than many other professions, including construction, logging, fishing, truck driving, and even trash collection. In fact, police officers have the same rate of dying on the job as do taxi drivers...

...If ever there were a time to de-militarize and de-weaponize local police forces, it's now. The same goes for scaling back on the mindset adopted by cops that they are the law and should be revered, feared and obeyed. As for the idea that citizens must be compliant or risk being treated like lawbreakers, that's nothing more than authoritarianism with a badge.

In other words, it's time for a reality check, for both the police and the citizens of this nation, and a good place to start is with the words of that gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, who warned: "Coming of age in a fascist police state will not be a barrel of fun for anybody, much less for people like me, who are not inclined to suffer Nazis gladly and feel only contempt for the cowardly flag-suckers who would gladly give up their outdated freedom to live for the mess of pottage they have been conned into believing will be freedom from fear."... [Emphasis added]

Full story:  http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/welcome-to-the-united-police-states-of-america-where-police-shoot-first-ask-questions-later/

[Ross]

Heck Patriot when I stood Shore Patrol duty in the Phillipines I often had to stand duty with new young recruits.

Some would be so tickled with the assignment of power, because they thought they would get to bust a bunch of sailors. I would generally have to give them a stern lecture on what their job was.

The job was to help out the sailors and to keep them out of trouble first and foremost.

Sometimes they would approach a sailor with a completely wrong attitude and start swearing at them, and I would have to calm the situation down, then read the young man working with me the riot act, later in private.

We were not out there to start trouble to to stop it and to assist our felow sailors. Yes, they were often drunk. But if handled properly they often co-operated and could go about their way. I never had to run a sailor in, and i was happy with that.

Oh, sure --- we could have had numerous men loaded into the paddy wagons and sent them off to face further problems --- but why?

There were plenty of Shore Patrol that did just that, feeling the temporary power of their positions.

But I always figured, if I did something stupid. I'd want a Shore Patrolman that would treat me right.

So what this man says is pretty true. Too much power is distructive.

[Warph]

Having worked in security & law enforcement, I have to agree with much of what Whitehead has to say in this article.  If unchecked, working in law enforcement can create one helluva power trip for officers & deputies... giving them unrestricted access to militarized assets often only makes it worse.

Welcome to the United Police States of America
Nov. 5, 2013 9:00am
John W. Whitehead - The Rutherford Institute

Full story:  http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/welcome-to-the-united-police-states-of-america-where-police-shoot-first-ask-questions-later/

Good example:

     

4 On Your Side investigates traffic stop nightmare

Updated: 11/05/2013 5:27 PM | Created: 11/04/2013 10:35 PM
By: Chris Ramirez, KOB Eyewitness News 4
This 4 On Your Side investigation looks into the actions of police officers and doctors in Southern New Mexico.

A review of medical records, police reports and a federal lawsuit show deputies with the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office, police officers with the City of Deming and medical professionals at the Gila Regional Medical Center made some questionable decisions.

The incident began January 2, 2013 after David Eckert finished shopping at the Wal-Mart in Deming.  According to a federal lawsuit, Eckert didn't make a complete stop at a stop sign coming out of the parking lot and was immediately stopped by law enforcement.     

Eckert's attorney, Shannon Kennedy, said in an interview with KOB that after law enforcement asked him to step out of the vehicle, he appeared to be clenching his buttocks.  Law enforcement thought that was probable cause to suspect that Eckert was hiding narcotics in his anal cavity.  While officers detained Eckert, they secured a search warrant from a judge that allowed for an anal cavity search. 

The lawsuit claims that Deming Police tried taking Eckert to an emergency room in Deming, but a doctor there refused to perform the anal cavity search citing it was "unethical."

But physicians at the Gila Regional Medical Center in Silver City agreed to perform the procedure and a few hours later, Eckert was admitted.

What Happened

While there, Eckert was subjected to repeated and humiliating forced medical procedures.  A review of Eckert's medical records, which he released to KOB, and details in the lawsuit show the following happened:

1. Eckert's abdominal area was x-rayed; no narcotics were found. 

2. Doctors then performed an exam of Eckert's anus with their fingers; no narcotics were found.

3. Doctors performed a second exam of Eckert's anus with their fingers; no narcotics were found. 

4. Doctors penetrated Eckert's anus to insert an enema.  Eckert was forced to defecate in front of doctors and police officers.  Eckert watched as doctors searched his stool.  No narcotics were found.

5. Doctors penetrated Eckert's anus to insert an enema a second time.  Eckert was forced to defecate in front of doctors and police officers.  Eckert watched as doctors searched his stool.  No narcotics were found.

6. Doctors penetrated Eckert's anus to insert an enema a third time.  Eckert was forced to defecate in front of doctors and police officers.  Eckert watched as doctors searched his stool.  No narcotics were found.

7. Doctors then x-rayed Eckert again; no narcotics were found. 

8. Doctors prepared Eckert for surgery, sedated him, and then performed a colonoscopy where a scope with a camera was inserted into Eckert's anus, rectum, colon, and large intestines.  No narcotics were found. 

Throughout this ordeal, Eckert protested and never gave doctors at the Gila Regional Medical Center consent to perform any of these medical procedures. 

"If the officers in Hidalgo County and the City of Deming are seeking warrants for anal cavity searches based on how they're standing and the warrant allows doctors at the Gila Hospital of Horrors to go in and do enemas and colonoscopies without consent, then anyone can be seized and that's why the public needs to know about this," Kennedy said.

Read More at;
http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S3209305.shtml?cat=500#.Unn8Z5Ao6M9

[Patriot]

And then there's this nonsense.  Perhaps it's time to take a closer look at those whom we trust to defect protect and perv swerve serve.

Arkansas cop tasers woman who refuses to show him her breasts: lawsuit
By Lee Moran / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

A cop in Arkansas allegedly tasered a woman after she refused to show him her breasts.

Ashlea Bennett alleges that uniformed Officer Brandon Carter strutted into her place of work on Dec. 13, 2011, and ordered that she give him a sneak peak of her bosom.

When she declined, he reportedly then chased her around the building before zapping her repeatedly with his electroshock gun.

Bennett, who says it was not the first time Carter had asked her the lewd question, is now suing him and the city of Haskell in federal court.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/woman-tasered-refusing-flash-suit-article-1.1506965#ixzz2jyxeLZPJ

[srkruzich]

I don't rely on trust, or want cops anywhere near me. If i have a problem i'll deal with it myself and if i get killed oh well i know where i am going when i die.

And then there's this nonsense.  Perhaps it's time to take a closer look at those whom we trust to defect protect and perv swerve serve.

Arkansas cop tasers woman who refuses to show him her breasts: lawsuit
By Lee Moran / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

A cop in Arkansas allegedly tasered a woman after she refused to show him her breasts.

Ashlea Bennett alleges that uniformed Officer Brandon Carter strutted into her place of work on Dec. 13, 2011, and ordered that she give him a sneak peak of her bosom.

When she declined, he reportedly then chased her around the building before zapping her repeatedly with his electroshock gun.

Bennett, who says it was not the first time Carter had asked her the lewd question, is now suing him and the city of Haskell in federal court.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/woman-tasered-refusing-flash-suit-article-1.1506965#ixzz2jyxeLZPJ

[Diane Amberg]

Yeah Steve, if the Sheriff asked you to show him your breasts, you should definitely call the men with the nets and never, ever trust another cop. Yup, sounds like Arkansas alright.What was her "place of busines" anyway?

[srkruzich]

Yeah Steve, if the Sheriff asked you to show him your breasts, you should definitely call the men with the nets and never, ever trust another cop. Yup, sounds like Arkansas alright.What was her "place of busines" anyway?

No, if a cop asks me to show him my breasts i might just do it.  Then again, i might just shoot his ass too for committing an assault.  I have the right to defend myself.