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Saturday, August 23, 2014

Ferguson: A Preview Of America’s Burgeoning Police State

Even America’s smallest towns can be instantly turned into occupied territories as local police agencies quickly transform themselves from peacekeepers into occupying military forces. The small town of Ferguson, Missouri, is living proof of that.

The London Guardian covers the story:

“Michael Brown was shot dead by an officer from a police force of 53, serving a population of just 21,000. But the police response to a series of protests over his death has been something more akin to the deployment of an army in a miniature warzone.

“Ferguson police have deployed stun grenades, rubber bullets and what appear to be 40mm wooden baton rounds to quell the protests in a show of force that is a stark illustration of the militarization of police forces in the US.

“‘I’m a soldier, I’m a military officer and I know when there’s a need for such thing, but I don’t think in a small town of 22,000 people you need up-armor vehicles,’ Cristian Balan, a communications officer in the US army, who was not speaking on behalf of the US military, told the Guardian. ‘Even if there’s an active shooter–are you really going to use an up-armor vehicle? Do you really need it?’

“In the eyes of the government, the answer increasingly seems to be a resounding yes.

“Since 2006, state and local law enforcement have acquired at least 435 armored vehicles, 533 military aircraft and 93,763 machine guns, according to an investigation by the New York Times published in June. This was made possible under a department of defense program that allows the agency to transfer excess military property to US law enforcement agencies. More than $4.3bn worth of gear has been transferred since the program was created in 1997, according to the Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO).

“The ACLU said there are no ‘meaningful constraints’ to what a local police force could acquire, meaning that even a 10,000 person town with no history of major violence could request and receive a mine-resistant vehicle, like those that are currently available on the LESO site.”

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

And this is why the Muslims run England.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
And this is why the Muslims run England.

August 23, 2014 at 3:30 PM

What does that have ANYTHING to do with Ferguson?

Anonymous said...

The military industrial complex has morphed into the police industrial complex.

It is about money. Find another revenue stream. If the wars end temporarily, then outsource the parts and equipment to the local police.

Anonymous said...

If the wars end temporarily, then outsource the parts and equipment to the local police.

August 23, 2014 at 4:19 PM

NO. They don't need them, they don't know how to operate them, they rely too heavily on them, it's just a bad idea all the way around.

Kops need to learn how to communicate. How to DEFUSE a situation, not make it worse. Not be scared every time some one says BOO.

Stop thinking they have such a dangerous job, it doesn't even make the top ten. Truck Driving is more dangerous than kops.

You are HATED by regular people. Oh, the elites and corporations love you. You protect their money and property. Poor people? You beat them to death, shoot them to death, throw flash bangs in cribs, kill pets, the list goes on.

Go to school and learn how to do a REAL job.

Anonymous said...

There is a very strong backlash happening in this country when blacks and whites can come together on one sole issue. The issue is that cops are out of control.

Anonymous said...

5:48 is simply clueless. Citizens out of control, plain and simple.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
5:48 is simply clueless. Citizens out of control, plain and simple.

August 23, 2014 at 6:59 PM

If you can't see what is happening in this country, YOU are clueless.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
5:48 is simply clueless. Citizens out of control, plain and simple.

August 23, 2014 at 6:59 PM

Oh my, citizens threw off the corrupt kops boot from their neck, and out of kops control. That is well worth celebrating.

Anonymous said...

This is a test run, will be coming to a town near you...

Anonymous said...

5:48 is anti "kop" because he got arrested for weed and mommy took away his X-box.