ACLU preparing to challenge the militarization of police forces in the US

This may be a case of too little too late and its just in its beginning stages but, at least someone is seriously addressing the issue. Right now, their efforts consist of freedom of information requests to gather information on how widespread and in what areas the militarization has taken place but, it seems it is in preparation to challenge police militarization on the grounds that it is an assault on people's and minorities rights.

Police militarization comes under nationwide investigation

The American Civil Liberties Union has launched a campaign to investigate the growing trend of placing militarized police units in cities and towns across the country.

Doors busted down and windows smashed in. It’s becoming more of a regular occurrence each day in America as heavily-armed SWAT teams are being sent to the homes of suspects, often nonviolent ones, with enough firepower to take down a small army. In November, a botched raid ended with an 18-year-old girl in the hospital. Other incidents haven’t been exactly isolated either: guns get drawn on both grannies and grandkids alike, and equipping law enforcement officers with the means to make these nightmares become reality is easier by the day.

“Federal funding in the billions of dollars has allowed state and local police departments to gain access to weapons and tactics created for overseas combat theaters – and yet very little is known about exactly how many police departments have military weapons and training, how militarized the police have become, and how extensively federal money is incentivizing this trend,” reads a statement released by the ACLU. “It’s time to understand the true scope of the militarization of policing in America and the impact it is having in our neighborhoods.”

"The American people deserve to know how much our local police are using military weapons and tactics for everyday policing," adds Allie Bohm, an advocacy and policy strategist for ACLU. "The militarization of local police is a threat to Americans' right to live without fear of military-style intervention in their daily lives, and we need to make sure these resources and tactics are deployed only with rigorous oversight and strong legal protections."

RT

IMO, the militarization of the police is the fed's attempt to get around the posse commits laws which forbid the use of active duty military against civilians. Who needs to use the military when the cops have the exact same equipment and training?

Hopefully something comes from this, even if it is just more public awareness of the problem and more open debate on the necessity of each and every little town in the country to have their own SWAT team equipped with tanks and armed choppers to deal with the cow tippers in their neck of the woods.

reply to post by FortAnthem


The ACLU occasionally does awful things with a destructive agenda, but I feel the ACLU does far more good than harm. This is one of those instances.

reply to post by FortAnthem

Ahh yes... Thanks for this thread, OP! It's a fine example of people pushing back in the ways we need to and the ways we can. The funny thing is, on many issues, I have about as much use for the ACLU as a root canal with no painkiller.

This sure proves that nothing in life in absolute though and there is always some blur to the edges of statements. In this case? I wish the ACLU all the positive energy I can muster for their fight. We need someone fighting this and it's going too far. There is increasingly little difference between police units and military units, indeed. Uniforms and Chains of command, often enough. Weapons, tactics and training are about the same. Literally, in many cases, as the cops are also reservists from the war zones.

It is difficult to take seriously any effort by the ACLU in this regard. Their track record is abysmal.
If anything, the ACLU has aided in the destruction of civil liberties by setting bad precedents over the last 50 years.
200 years of American Jurisprudence has been unceremoniously turned on its head.
Torture, rendition, surreptitious warrantless searches, warrantless wiretaps, secret prisons, violations of posse comitatus, and now secret kill lists and death by drone here in the USA ; how much more does the ACLU need?

Originally posted by Smack
It is difficult to take seriously any effort by the ACLU in this regard. Their track record is abysmal.

Torture, rendition, surreptitious warrantless searches, warrantless wiretaps, secret prisons, violations of posse comitatus, and now secret kill lists and death by drone here in the USA ; how much more does the ACLU need?

The ACLU does have an abysmal record in many respects but, when it comes to the Patriot Act and a lot of the stuff you've listed above, they've been on the right side, fighting against the excesses of government.

I'm not going to become a card carrying member just because of this one action but, when they do something right (for a change) they deserve our applause and support.

reply to post by Smack

You are aware, no doubt, the ACLU has fought a fair % of what you list there. They've had wild variations in levels of success for their challenges, but they DO try and fight.

I dislike them...not so much for them, to be honest, as the causes they are forced to take up in defending some rights.

Who the heck wanted to see Nazi's parade down a street in Skokie, Illinois? Well... The Constitution did. It was worth the fight even if I detest the people it benefited at the time.

Who in their right MIND wants to defend NAMBLA or Baby Rapers? Yet, ACLU was there too...and part of what I've disliked. However, like Skokie, it was the principle and not the scumbag who happened to represent it...

I'll never belong to them or really care much for the ACLU. I'll certainly never take away the good they DO fight for though. It comes with plenty I think is BAD to fight for ....but the alternative is no one there to fight for anything. Hmm.. I'll deal with the bad to get the good like this, personally.

When the Nazis came to Skokie

The Police LOVE playing "Seal Team".
Lot of negative attitudes about the ACLU though..Hmm,
I'm curious as to how exactly the ACLU
has undermined American Citizens rights?

Originally posted by sealing
The Police LOVE playing "Seal Team".
Lot of negative attitudes about the ACLU though..Hmm,
I'm curious as to how exactly the ACLU
has undermined American Citizens rights?

I've actually had a retired cop tell me that police officers LOVE to play soldier with their SWAT gear. They really get their jollies off apparently.

Some kids never grow up ...and get paid to play army men.

Originally posted by MystikMushroom

Originally posted by sealing
The Police LOVE playing "Seal Team".
Lot of negative attitudes about the ACLU though..Hmm,
I'm curious as to how exactly the ACLU
has undermined American Citizens rights?

I've actually had a retired cop tell me that police officers LOVE to play soldier with their SWAT gear. They really get their jollies off apparently.

Some kids never grow up ...and get paid to play army men.

Unbeknownst to most folks, a large percentage of police officers tried to join the military, they were either not smart enough, not physically fit enough or couldnt pass the psych evals necessay to join.

So they become police, so they can "play soldier" instead of being one.

Imho, if they arent good enough to be soldiers they shouldnt be good enough to be cops either, I mean what does this say about the standard of our police officers anyways?

Originally posted by inverslyproportional

Originally posted by MystikMushroom

Originally posted by sealing
The Police LOVE playing "Seal Team".
Lot of negative attitudes about the ACLU though..Hmm,
I'm curious as to how exactly the ACLU
has undermined American Citizens rights?

I've actually had a retired cop tell me that police officers LOVE to play soldier with their SWAT gear. They really get their jollies off apparently.

Some kids never grow up ...and get paid to play army men.

Unbeknownst to most folks, a large percentage of police officers tried to join the military, they were either not smart enough, not physically fit enough or couldnt pass the psych evals necessay to join.

So they become police, so they can "play soldier" instead of being one.

Imho, if they arent good enough to be soldiers they shouldnt be good enough to be cops either, I mean what does this say about the standard of our police officers anyways?

They wan't smart soldiers and in point of fact, they wan't dumb cops. The system is working exactly as it should if your the people doing the hiring. Smart soldiers get the job done efficiently oversees with minimum casualties, makes the commanding officer look good. Dumb cops are easy to control, do what they are told and easy to fire and place blame when they inevitably do something that makes the department look bad.

Here's the actualACLU page on the topic

It’s time to understand the true scope of the militarization of policing in America and the impact it is having in our neighborhoods. On March 6th, ACLU affiliates in 23 states filed over 255 public records requests with law enforcement agencies and National Guard offices to determine the extent to which federal funding and support has fueled the militarization of state and local police departments.

And a related Op-Ed piece from them:

And then there's Richland County, South Carolina, population 389,116. Richland's violent crime rate is down 3.7%; its overall crime rate is down 3.8% compared to last year. Many of the crimes that take place there relate to drug use or gambling. Nonetheless, Richland's Sheriff's Department has an armored personnel carrier they dubbed "The Peacemaker." The carrier can shoot weapons that the U.S. military specifically refrains from using on people— this type of firepower is generally reserved for use against armored vehicles. Sheriff Leon Lott insists that the "Peacemaker" will save lives. Really? Is this type of firepower truly necessary for routine law enforcement?

Originally posted by inverslyproportional

Originally posted by MystikMushroom

Originally posted by sealing
The Police LOVE playing "Seal Team".
Lot of negative attitudes about the ACLU though..Hmm,
I'm curious as to how exactly the ACLU
has undermined American Citizens rights?

I've actually had a retired cop tell me that police officers LOVE to play soldier with their SWAT gear. They really get their jollies off apparently.

Some kids never grow up ...and get paid to play army men.

Unbeknownst to most folks, a large percentage of police officers tried to join the military, they were either not smart enough, not physically fit enough or couldnt pass the psych evals necessay to join.

So they become police, so they can "play soldier" instead of being one.

Imho, if they arent good enough to be soldiers they shouldnt be good enough to be cops either, I mean what does this say about the standard of our police officers anyways?

Yep, and if they can't make it through police academy they become rent-a-cops or security officers. This would explain why those guys can be the biggest you-know-whats out there!

I love how on ATS we have members who are LEO's, and post stuff about how to talk to a cop ect. During the entire Dorner affair they were very, very silent. Even on this topic, they remain very silent.

I know you're out there! *waves*

I don't believe the ACLU is going to do anything to stop the HLS( Nazi SS) from taking over our police forces .In my opinion the Protocols of Zion were written by the same bunch of Godless Jews that runs the ACLU . It could be an attempt to justify such activities . Too little too late .

I find it odd that people take issue with the ACLU, especially die hard defenders of the Constitution. It couldn't have been easy to take on (since they were named in a duck and run support the cause but never miss an opportunity to bash the 'left', attack) the cases that involved NAMBLA and the KKK etc... they did it knowing they would lose supporters and come under attack by EVERYONE. They also lost financial support as they knew they would. So why did they do it? The charges were against Freedom of Speech and the courts involved let emotion cloud their Constitutional duty. In all cases, no laws had been broken, no advocacy of breaking laws (which isn't illegal either in most circumstances). They were the only ones willing to defend free speech and that is how it should be looked at, that is the only reason they did it.

Free speech is free speech even when it makes you want to vomit, even when it makes you feel like you could torture someone, slowly. The ACLU should be praised for representing monsters in the fight to retain free speech, after all once it isn't okay for one monster to speak freely it becomes a cake walk to affix the label 'monster' in order to silence the next person. Though I don't for one minute feel that NAMBLA and the KKK are undeserving of that label.

I think it was very brave to do what they did. But the Right wing media never put it in that context did they? So how could you have possibly thought any differently?

I saw topic on here recently that said the police are not legally obligated to protect the citizens, so then why do they need all that armor,military guns and equipment? What are they going to do with all that tax payers gear? who are they going to protect with all that gear,themselves?
If they don`t have to protect us with all that gear that we bought for them then why should we have to buy it for them?

Doors busted down and windows smashed in. It’s becoming more of a regular occurrence each day in America as heavily-armed SWAT teams are being sent to the homes of suspects, often nonviolent ones, with enough firepower to take down a small army

I have this young niece who was being allowed to 'squat' in an empty apartment after her brute romantic friend threw her and her cat out onto the street in the middle of the night. But very recently, a -gang- of 'police' all military'd-up, as if to a dangerous hostage situation, with a battering ram, busted in the door that kept her safe from the neighborhood hoods, held a loaded gun to her head, kept it there, went all bezerko looking for drugs, didn't find any, only her terrified cat. She said they all acted like they were hopped up on steroids and meth.
This took place in the city of Chicago in 'Humbolt Park', She is homeless and destitute there (more than 120 miles away from me) with a pet, and these retarded spawns of bitches, these Illuminati -bank- butt well-worn-hole bitches left pissed they didn't find anything, and now she is vulnerable to being raped there, due to the destroyed door.
Come and get me DHS, but that precint area should be ----blown up----- . Sky high to smithereens, Oh how I wish it. All I can do is wish it, you queers, because I'm one of the least-of-these, the least 'powerful' as well.

Originally posted by Eedjee

Doors busted down and windows smashed in. It’s becoming more of a regular occurrence each day in America as heavily-armed SWAT teams are being sent to the homes of suspects, often nonviolent ones, with enough firepower to take down a small army

I have this young niece who was being allowed to 'squat' in an empty apartment after her brute romantic friend threw her and her cat out onto the street in the middle of the night. But very recently, a -gang- of 'police' all military'd-up, as if to a dangerous hostage situation, with a battering ram, busted in the door that kept her safe from the neighborhood hoods, held a loaded gun to her head, kept it there, went all bezerko looking for drugs, didn't find any, only her terrified cat. She said they all acted like they were hopped up on steroids and meth.
This took place in the city of Chicago in 'Humbolt Park', She is homeless and destitute there (more than 120 miles away from me) with a pet, and these retarded spawns of bitches, these Illuminati -bank- butt well-worn-hole bitches left pissed they didn't find anything, and now she is vulnerable to being raped there, due to the destroyed door.
Come and get me DHS, but that precint area should be ----blown up----- . Sky high to smithereens, Oh how I wish it. All I can do is wish it, you queers, because I'm one of the least-of-these, the least 'powerful' as well.

So a bunch of cops did something horrible, and you react by calling them "queers?" Grow up you homophobic retard.

reply to post by FortAnthem


Rarely Truthful (RT) is not the best source to use.. They have a tendencey to over exaggerate while ignoring evidence that doesnt support their agenda.

"ACLU preparing to challenge the militarization of police forces in the US"

Oh yeah...that ought to do 'er...

.

It should be noted that many cops are in fact former military too; not just the losers who got rejected. In Mass. lots of State Troopers are inactive/reserve Marines. That said, the cat is outta the bag - no way are the police giving up their military toys. Best case as mentioned in the OP is to raise awareness about the issue. Also, be aware the police will argue and win with the statements like, "we need firepower to match the criminal element also carrying illegal military-grade weapons." Whether true or not, it's an effective arguement. Good luck to the ACLU, not my favorite but we do need them.