How Did the Ferguson Police Get Such Sophisticated Weaponry?

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

When speaking of free states I don't count NY and CA.

Don't forget NJ and CT!

a reply to: pennydrops

Why don't you travel there and face the rioters without protection then?

a reply to: Sremmos80

So you are okay with rocks, glass bottles and molotov cocktails being thrown at you without a helmet, or a shield.

a reply to: LeatherNLace

I think most of the equipment was from St. Louis county police department, not Ferguson.

This level of military hardware is becoming standard fare across the country. But keep in mind, the level of military and assault weapons that anyone can get ahold of in this country might be a contributing factor. The shootout in LA involving two heavily armored bank robbers led the LAPD to increase it's tactical hardware, and most PDs around the country have been doing the same ever since. Now, I'm not defending this, in fact I hate it, it's a constant escalation of forces.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

Fine, I'll extend there arsenal to helmets and shields, and agree they could use those once projectiles are being thrown.
And it seems all I can find is a photo on man carrying what looks like is a Molotov cocktail, have we seen a picture of one actually lighting up the ground with fire?
I don't want to say it didn't happen, just easy to find pictures of all the tear gas and rubber pellets, but no fire on the ground

originally posted by: TorqueyThePig
a reply to: Sremmos80

So you are okay with rocks, glass bottles and molotov cocktails being thrown at you without a helmet, or a shield.

And your OK with shooting a unarmed man down dead in the streets for no apparent reason? If you are a Cop, the mentality you are sharing is frightening, Cops are the biggest Gang in America.

a reply to: parad0x122

Yeah that may be on thing that the police have that a citizen can't.

However I did find this part of the LRAD for sale on Ebay.

www.ebay.com... stic+device.TRS0&_nkw=LRAD+acoustic+device&_sacat=0

I wonder if the rest of the parts can be bought and made to function.

a reply to: ugmold

Yes I am a cop.

I absolutely do not support an innocent person being killed. But just to note being unarmed does not make you innocent. I wonder how many that are automatically assuming the cop is wrong because Brown was unarmed supported George Zimmerman's actions.

I do not know what happened during the incident and I will not judge until all facts are released.

I am speaking about the current rioting and the equipment that the police are using to quell it. That is the topic of discussion in this thread.

Regardless if the cop was right or wrong there is unrest going on. The police have a duty to try and stop it. If you feel they shouldn't be able to wear helmets and have shields to protect them from rocks, glass bottles and molotov cocktails that is fine. It is your opinion.

a reply to: Sremmos80

Should the police not be able to use tear gas and rubber bullets against people that are vandalizing stores, breaking windows, throwing rocks and glass bottles?

What if it was your store?

a reply to: LeatherNLace

"They" must be expecting something which will completely disturb the peace in the USA. Not only are they upgrading the equipment of the policeforce to militairy standard but do "they" also have these FEMA camps ready to swing into action. Really, this Ferguson situation is used as a welcome excersize for the real thing which will be coming to a theatre near you.

a reply to: CallmeRaskolnikov

I can concur with this. I am near the Rochester region and yeah. None of those vehicles would be road-legal, and anything other than a pump action shotgun, most pistols, and semi long barreled rifles are illegal to have even in your place of residence.

a reply to: scghst1

That is because NY is not a free state.

originally posted by: TorqueyThePig
a reply to: Sremmos80

So you are okay with rocks, glass bottles and molotov cocktails being thrown at you without a helmet, or a shield.

You keep referencing a helmet and a shield as if that is the only things those riot police had in their possession. Why not address the plethora of other unnecessary crowd control weapons, instruments, vehicles, etc. that they were using? I am totally cool with a helmet and a shield; those two tools have worked efficiently for decades. But you know good and well the things we are talking about. It's a militarizing of the police that is overkill. Why the sudden need for all of this over the top gear? Because it's free? Because it looks cool? Because the police want to play G.I. Joe? Please explain.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

Oh of course not. Not at all. 2nd highest taxed, one of the highest unemployment rates, hell, even Rochester is one of the top 3 murder capitals in the country. I personally hate it here and only stay because of family. Otherwise I would've been out of here years ago.

a reply to: LeatherNLace

In your opinion what gear is making the police militarized?

originally posted by: TorqueyThePig
There is not one thing that I can think of that the police department owns that a citizen can't own.

So you do not feel that police departments (Im not speaking of just Ferguson) should have shields, helmets, batons, less lethal weapons, AR-15's and armored vehicles?

You should also ask if the police are even utilizing armored vehicles, what are they going to be doing which make them feel the need to have these vehicles in the first place? Perhaps denying people's rights like right now?

It looks like these police are part of an operation to provoke civilian rebellion so they can "train" in real time with the situation as part of some federal racket, probably some tyrannical power grabbing scheme of the Obama administration. Watch it progress in stages just like from a playbook.

So far the current administration has not stopped or even slowed down on their quest to strip power from people, and give to government, and Obama has not condemned the police in breach of the oath to uphold the constitution, but we already know how he feels about people having rights.

a reply to: NoCorruptionAllowed

First of all don't confuse me with an Obama supporter. Far from it.

Second how have the police used the armored vehicles (which you can purchase) to deny peoples rights?

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

None of the actual equipment was used to deny rights except when reporters started getting hit by rubber bullets and tear gas. And in further controversial effect, the police used nothing other than strongarm gustapo tactics when they arrested the reporters. So no, not equipment, actual people (police officers) refusing the first amendment to reporters. Which IMO is more sad.

originally posted by: TorqueyThePig
a reply to: ugmold

Yes I am a cop.

I absolutely do not support an innocent person being killed. But just to note being unarmed does not make you innocent. I wonder how many that are automatically assuming the cop is wrong because Brown was unarmed supported George Zimmerman's actions.

I do not know what happened during the incident and I will not judge until all facts are released.

I am speaking about the current rioting and the equipment that the police are using to quell it. That is the topic of discussion in this thread.

Regardless if the cop was right or wrong there is unrest going on. The police have a duty to try and stop it. If you feel they shouldn't be able to wear helmets and have shields to protect them from rocks, glass bottles and molotov cocktails that is fine. It is your opinion.

Even if he wasn't Innocent, that hardly justifies Murder because you have a badge.
You don't expect people to be upset by this? You are a problem. Once the Fuzz gets all those fancy weapons in their hands then they can't wait to use them, it is logical, because why did they feel a need them in the first place, rising Public dissent? It only escalates it. Police everywhere are ramping a pretty sick mentality on the General Public. They ought to get To Protect and Serve off their Battle Wagons or add "The Rich and Powerful" at the end.