It is common these days to talk negatively about the militarization of police. How, it is bad for communities to be policed by departments that have military equipment and tactics.
On the contrary, a properly trained police force that is ‘militarized’ is good for communities, the police, and criminals.
Some Situations Require Militarized Tactics
During my time on SWAT, my team conducted a hostage rescue operation.
At the direction of our command staff, my colleges and I worked out a plan with contingencies and assembled an entry team made up of the most operationally experienced team members.
Then we waited for the order to execute. After an extended period of time we were given the go ahead, and executed a deliberate entry.
The team’s entry was fast, loud (explosively loud), and a surprise to all of the structure’s occupants. It was done with violence of action. Every person in the target location was shocked and frozen in place. In seconds the team had total control of the target area and everyone in it.
Not a single SWAT team member had to fire a shot or even raise their voice.
No one was injured, including the suspects.
Ask yourself, who other than a militarized police unit would you have sent in to rescue your loved one in that situation? Patrol officers could have carried out the operation, and they would have been every bit as serious as my teammates and I.
Unfortunately, that seriousness would not make up for their lack of specialized tools and practiced knowledge of military tactics that the team used to safely resolve the situation.
Militarized tactics made it possible for everyone to come away from the incident alive.
Military Organization
Most police agencies as a whole have been intentionally militarized, for a long time. Taking a quick look at the history of policing in the United States explains why.
The history of policing in the United States is not good to say the least. When reforms of police departments finally began in the 1950s many agencies switched to a paramilitary model.
Why would departments use a model styled after the military?
The foundation for the police departments we know today comes from a book called ‘Police Administration’ by O.W. Wilson, published in 1943. Wilson served in the military and later in life became the chief of the Chicago Police Department.
In his book, Wilson argues for a better police force; one that is centrally controlled and uses a paramilitary style of organization, discipline, and closer officer supervision. (Potter 2013).
Today, even with the progress that police departments have made since the 50’s, policing as a whole is far from perfect; there are still bad cops that do bad things. But there are a lot more good cops that are do good things.
In my time in law enforcement I have seen firsthand hundreds of officers conducting themselves in a professional manner. When I say professional, I mean treating the public with respect and dignity, regardless of the situation while the officers carry out their law enforcement duties.
None of this professional conduct would exist if it were not for the ‘militarized’ style of training that most officers go through at the police academy and the militarized management of police officers.
A major reason for the modern professional, more accountable officers is the militarization of nearly the entire police community that began in the 1950s.
Some Situations Require Armored Vehicles
One of the most visible points of contention for some members of the community are armored vehicles.
People often ask, ‘Why would a police department possibly need an armored vehicle in my neighborhood?’ People do bad things in all communities; rich and poor alike. During those events armored vehicles protect the lives of officers, the surrounding community, and suspects.
Imagine an individual begins threatening to kill themselves and shoot at anyone that they see. Then that individual barricades themselves inside of a house and continues with their threats.
The police show up, surround the house and begin negotiations.
Suddenly, the barricaded person begins shooting at the police that have the house surrounded. Those officers are probably hiding behind cars and trees (if any).
All of those objects do not stop bullets.
What might some of those officers do to do in order to protect their own lives? They may shoot back at the suspect.
Now, take the same situation but put the officers surrounding the house in an armored MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) truck or a bullet resistant Lenco Bear Cat. Sitting in armored vehicle gives police the ability (if the suspect and situation allows) to wait the suspect out instead of returning fire.
By using ‘militarized’ equipment police have removed the need to return fire. The armored vehicle has made the situation safer for the police, community residents, and even the suspect.
If Ford made a bullet resistant vehicle for police departments that did not look, ‘militarized’, I am sure police agencies would be lining up to buy it.
However, since Ford doesn’t, and a Bear Cat costs $300,000, some agencies obtain military surplus MRAPS through federal grants.
Agencies are buying and using armored vehicles because they know how dramatically different a situation can play out with an armored vehicle.
Armored vehicles protect the lives of officers, the people of the surrounding community, and suspects.
In the End
A militarized police force that is properly trained and has access to ‘militarized’ equipment and tactics play a critical role in supporting effective public safety.
A militarized police department is better able to protect the community, its own officers, and the criminals that they pursue.
As times time change public safety organizations may feel the need to modify how the more militarized parts of their agencies are presented to the public.
Departments should not however, reduce militarized capabilities. As most Americans have seen over the years there are situations that are beyond the capabilities of the patrol officer.
Sources
Potter, Dr. G. (2013, June 25). The History of Policing in the United States. Retrieved September 3, 2016, from http://plsonline.eku.edu/insidelook/history-policing-united-states-part-1 (through part 6).
Chicago Police Department. (2016). History. Retrieved Spetember 3, 2016, from http://home.chicagopolice.org/inside-the-cpd/history/.