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Tuesday, July 18, 2006


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…And Speaking Of Paramilitaries

Kim du Toit
July 18, 2006
6:04 AM CDT

Radley Balko’s new book, Overkill: The Rise Of Paramilitary Police Raids can be found here.

We’re also launching an interactive map to accompany the paper. And I frankly think the map is what’s going to convince most people of the scope of this problem. I’ve plotted every botched raid I found in my research, with a description of what happened and a list of sources. You can sort the map by type of incident. So, for example, if you wanted to see only those raids where an innocent person was killed, it would look like this. If you wanted to see raids where a nonviolent offender was killed (a recreational gambler or potsmoker, for example), it would look like this. If you wanted to see all of the “wrong door” raids where no one was killed, it would look like this.

Radley and I have often been on opposing sides of various fences, but in this case, I am standing absolutely shoulder-to-shoulder with him, because he’s done an excellent job.

I detest the fact that our police forces have become miniature armies, with military weapons, armored vehicles and military tactics. No bigger wedge exists between cops and the people they serve than when cops act like an invading army (or an occupying one).

Support Radley, and buy his book. He deserves it.




Comments

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  1. The social compact has been badly frayed, if not worn through, since the ‘60s at least, this being one of many symptoms.  Perhaps when the worst of the Aging Aquarians complete the circle of life we’ll see the beginnings of a return to sanity.

    yahyah ibn alli | 7/18/2006 08:42 AM CDT | #66862
  2. At least I’m not the only person bothered by this.  I swear everytime one of those SWAT guys on TV says ‘civilians’ I want to slap him with a white glove and challenge him to a duel.  Or, barring that, strip him of his badge.  There are a lot of good cops out there, and they’re good because they understand that they are a PART of their community, not separate from it.

    indianbaboon | 7/18/2006 09:01 AM CDT | #66866
  3. It’s how they get around posse comitatus; have a “separate” military that isn’t “military”.  Same end result.

    Idahoser | 7/18/2006 10:09 AM CDT | #66875
  4. It’s how they get around posse comitatus; have a “separate” military that isn’t “military”.  Same end result.

    Idahoser | 7/18/2006 10:09 AM CDT | #66876
  5. I often feel ambivalent about the cops. On the one hand, in my work (security), they’ve been very helpful. However, almost every night when I drive to work, I see 3 or 4 squad cars surrounding a vehicle driven by a little old lady or a lady with kids. Most of the time it looks like a broken light. Odd thing is, they only send 1 car when called for help with something serious.

    big surprise

    RBARNES | 7/18/2006 10:12 AM CDT | #66877
  6. Good thing I refilled my prescription for blood-pressure meds. Reading a half-dozen of those is enough to trigger an RCOB.

    Dex | 7/18/2006 10:22 AM CDT | #66879
  7. The huge problems with the interactive map and probably the info in his book is that it’s from public sources.  We’re quick to believe th epress when it’s something we see going wrong, but also recognize they misreport and lie about other stuff all the time - so which is it?  Do we trust and believe them or not?

    The press doesn’t get all the information, and they report on very little that actually happens.  There is SO MUCH that they don’t report on, the stories linked in the map are just the tip of the iceberg - only those the media CHOSE to report to the public.

    The police arming up is a response to the bad guys being better armed than they are.  Unfortunately, when you have a bunch of guys who’re highly specialized and have expensive toys, the temptation is to use them frequently to help justify their cost instead of using them ONLY when absolutely justified.  It’s a result from the damn bean counters and number crunchers staring at budgets and being encouraged by Federal dollars.

    These entry teams are being WAY overused.  It’s disgusting.

    308Mike | 7/18/2006 11:04 AM CDT | #66888
  8. If the population isn’t policing itself, and the “police” are facilitators of that self-discipline; then the only other arrangement is guards and inmates.

    Police are not and never have been capable of protecting a populace that doesn’t want it’s protection, without becoming jailers.

    The popular myth that we are not responsible for our own safety is the absolute death of self-policing society, and we are certainly there.

    Idahoser | 7/18/2006 11:10 AM CDT | #66889
  9. “the only other arrangement is guards and inmates.”

    Thanks - that’s a great way to put it.  I’m going to start using that verbiage.

    Deoxy | 7/18/2006 02:45 PM CDT | #66899
  10. Kipling wrote The Portent in the early 20s about Prohibition. The 60’s just institutionalized it.

    “Whence public strife and naked crime
    And-deadlier than the cup you shun--
    A people schooled to mock, in time,
    All law--not one.”

    SDN | 7/18/2006 07:43 PM CDT | #66907

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