Ferguson military police force

[mojavedesert]

Welcome to the human race. Just remember, we are all born good...no wait, you have to teach babies that if they want something, they just can't take it...ahhhh, humanity. I agree with you 98%, all except for the NASCAR driver incident. That dude got himself run over by being stupid (you can call it hot-headed or heat of the moment, but when you go after a guy in a car on a racetrack, nothing good can come of it).

You are correct - one should not run into a raceway of fast moving vehicles but somehow the footage I saw did not look like an accident. More like Stewart was just trying to brush him, with unfortunate results.

Maybe humanity needs a paradigm shift where instead of celebrating/commemorating wars we celebrate peace. I doubt it happens because killing others is apparently the best way to make a change or get what one wants.

[wendelclark17]

What is happening in Missouri right now is unbelievable. The apparent abuse of power and excessive use of force by the police force there is appalling. The militarization of modern day police forces is very scary and in general only serves to heighten tensions.

[plug]

I grew up about 10 minutes from ferguson. We did most of our clothes/ other shopping on west Florissant, it was also the way to my cousins.. The trust has so deteriorated in the 25 years since I moved away.. The governor has pulled out the county police and has the highway patrol taking over.. This has been killing me, I have great hopes that tonight goes better.. Please.. I hate seeing this where I grew up.

[vitun-tyhmä]

What is happening in Missouri right now is unbelievable. The apparent abuse of power and excessive use of force by the police force there is appalling. The militarization of modern day police forces is very scary and in general only serves to heighten tensions.

And the worst part of it all is that those cops will not be brought to justice, they'll get off with a mild suspension at best.

[CascadeFilly]

The police has quietly been militarized all around the world. I know here in Canada (and in many other nations) the police were given tanks. What in the world do the police need tanks for, save for preparations for potential martial law?

[doulos]

Man, I am so out of the loop. The police in my city are so laid back and generally really great people. Never noticed any of this militarization.

[rataylor22]

Man, I am so out of the loop. The police in my city are so laid back and generally really great people. Never noticed any of this militarization.

This. I mean maybe it's a US vs. Canada thing? I mean all police officers can be dicks and abuse power, but this stuff is a different level. A cop being an ******* to me is giving me a ticket for going 5 over.

EDIT: Is this situation still going on?

[CascadeFilly]

Man, I am so out of the loop. The police in my city are so laid back and generally really great people. Never noticed any of this militarization.

The problem is there has been so little coverage of this militarization. Why is that? Seems like kind of a big deal. Few people know about it, but if you do some research, you'll learn that it's been happening all over. It's concerning.

[NoWayOut]

No it's calmed down for now. I doubt the police chief can keep his trap shut and resist throwing fuel on the embers though. For proof I offer this comment from an article on Yahoo...

Police Chief Thomas Jackson said the officer did not know the teen was a robbery suspect at the time of the shooting and stopped Michael Brown and a companion "because they were walking down the middle of the street blocking traffic."

Full article here

So let's see, he didn't know the kid walking in the middle of the street was unarmed, allegedly had committed a strong-arm robbery that netted a $50 box of cigars....oh yeah fire at will. What could possibly have occurred that would escalate that situation to the point an unarmed kid is shot. This siege mentality, us-vs-the world, that has developed within the law enforcement community here in the states is getting worse. We all know it's a dangerous profession, death is just one encounter with a lunatic away, but they seem to be treating every person they encounter as a presumed lunatic.

[doulos]

The problem is there has been so little coverage of this militarization. Why is that? Seems like kind of a big deal. Few people know about it, but if you do some research, you'll learn that it's been happening all over. It's concerning.

I live in a small Canadian city and know some of the local police as friends. It's totally different story here. So glad I don't live in the US, even though there are some very good people who do.

[dejeanneret]

You know, one aspect of the militarization of police forces that I've been pondering is, perhaps, somewhat obvious: I read recently (although I can't for the life of me remember where) that there's an uptick in the number of law enforcement personnel these days who come from an active military duty background. And given the state of things the last 20 years or so, at least insofar as the U.S. is concerned, there's also been an uptick in the number of military personnel who've served in a conflict area (read: warzone) in some capacity or another. Add in the fact that many of the battlegrounds during that time frame have been, for all intents and purposes, city streets and involving an "enemy" that you might not immediately recognize as such, and ... I don't know. I just wonder if there's some correlation here between human experience and failed social policy that hasn't really been understood just yet and might be playing a contributing role to the current sad state of affairs. I mean, it seems worth noting that we appear to have a police force with increasing numbers of people who have been trained in urban combat, some of whom have gone through/experienced the horrors of war and all of the tolls it can take, we've recently uncovered that our (the U.S.'s) VA system was/is embarrassingly inept at helping those who need it when they return home, etc., doesn't it?

In any event, just to avoid any misunderstanding, let me emphasize that this is not in any way a condemnation of our military veterans. I really am in awe at what they sign up for and go through in service of others, and the same with respect to the vast majority of law enforcement personnel. Just something I've been thinking about lately while trying to comprehend the multitude of things that may possibly have something to do with why things are the way they are.

[forumname]

Also keep in mind the type of people most likely to enter into law enforcement and the military. Guys who get off on power, guns and playing swat g. I. Joe

[kekay_20]

it kills me how everyone blames the police without know all of the story....now it comes out he stole a box of smokes from a store and pushed the owner when he was confronted....then the officer confronts him and is assaulted while in/getting out of his car

this is the problem with america right now...everyone wants to find someone to blame except the person who is at fault.
here is an idea...don't steal, and don't assault the police.

no one can say what the officer did is right or wrong because you were not in his position...if the officer was in fear of his life then he has the right to protect himself...the shoot him in the leg stuff is not real, you are taught to shoot center mass, and that is what happened.

as far as the "bad cops" sure there are plenty of them...just like bad football players who do dumb stuff there are bad people all over the world...only thing is you never hear about the police that are 99% good you only hear about the 1% that are bad

as far as the riots go...how would you respond if someone was throwing rocks and bottles and maltov cocktails at you
most likely the same way the police did there

[forumname]

the shoot him in the leg stuff is not real, you are taught to shoot center mass, and that is what happened.

Don't you think that maybe that means something is wrong with the way they are trained? Of course not all cops are bad people, but their system of operation is getting a bit out of whack.

[Dakkster]

it kills me how everyone blames the police without know all of the story....now it comes out he stole a box of smokes from a store and pushed the owner when he was confronted....then the officer confronts him and is assaulted while in/getting out of his car

this is the problem with america right now...everyone wants to find someone to blame except the person who is at fault.
here is an idea...don't steal, and don't assault the police.

no one can say what the officer did is right or wrong because you were not in his position...if the officer was in fear of his life then he has the right to protect himself...the shoot him in the leg stuff is not real, you are taught to shoot center mass, and that is what happened.

as far as the "bad cops" sure there are plenty of them...just like bad football players who do dumb stuff there are bad people all over the world...only thing is you never hear about the police that are 99% good you only hear about the 1% that are bad

as far as the riots go...how would you respond if someone was throwing rocks and bottles and maltov cocktails at you
most likely the same way the police did there

Wow.

You are actually serious?

Probably the most ignorant post I've seen in a looooong time.

Have you watched any of the videos filmed by peaceful protesters? Go check out the link I provided in my original post. You tell me that you can see any rioters throwing rocks, bottles or molotovs there. Please. Then tell me that the police's response is sensible.

Yes, the looters are ****ed up. They deserve to be arrested.

The peaceful protesters that are showing their outrage because of the constantly racial profiling police. Are you seriously telling me they deserve to have teargas, flashbangs and rubber bullets shot at them? Are you seriously telling me that police taking off their badges and ID numbers in order not to be identified easily is okay? Are you seriously telling me that police ordering the press not to report or film is okay? Arresting people without cause is okay?

What world are you living in?

Also, about the whole cigar deal. That was not why Brown was stopped in the first place. He was stopped by an overly aggressive police officer for walking in the road. And EVEN IF Brown was stopped because of the cigar theft, which he wasn't, how in ANY REALITY is it rational that he is gunned down with several shots for that? And then left lying in the open for several hours with no one coming to collect his body? Are you for real? The ignorance and downright awful view on humanity you display in your post is disgusting to me.

Read this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/0...n_5682089.html

if the officer was in fear of his life then he has the right to protect himself

Claiming to be afraid does not give you the right to end someone else's life. Jesus ****ing christ, your attitude is such a big part of the problem.

Let's just say that I am sooooooooooooooooooo endlessly glad that I live in a rational country where this is not daily reality. It hardly ever happens here in Sweden. I can probably count the times it's happened the last three decades on one hand. I'm glad I live in a country where the "duuuuuuurrrrrhhh, cops are allowed to protect themselves by killing kids out of racial profiling" mentality can't be found unless you look really ****ing hard.