Are America's police becoming too militarized?
 

Are tanks and shoulder fired missiles too much?

Next silly question although I'm sure some will say not enough.

It depends. If my first grade child were hiding in the bathroom of his classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary, I'd be glad to see SWAT teams on the roof.

No. They are not.

In case of a terrorist attack, yes such equipment could be needed.

However, what we see going on in Missouri is not a terrorist attack.

When the participants call looting and rioting "a protest," it might just be time to upgrade the response.

Interesting question, since a Facebook friend just poised the same question. As a staunch Libertarian, his response was "way too much" I am not sure however!!:undecided:

I think throwing molotov cocktails while rioting, burning and looting innocent civilians' stores or property is a "terrorist" attack, just as setting up pressure cookers full of nails and other shrapnel to explode and blow innocent bystanders' legs off and kill them was "terrorism" at an historic, celebrated athletic event.

Governor Jay Nixon of Missouri just announced that the MO Highway Patrol will be taking the lead in security from here on out. Hopefully this will tamp down the violence occurring nightly in Ferguson.

My immediate answer in this terrorist plagued world is yes, these historically unusual arms are definitely needed. As long as the police are on our side. Yeah, I have very bad and sad memories of Janet Reno's armored corps at Waco.

The bad guys get more and more powerful weapons, so I am all for the police having whatever capability is necessary to deal with them. As far as the Missouri problem, there seems to be a misunderstanding of the definition of "protest" vs "riot." Of course this isn't the first time that they use this as and excuse to "loot and burn" and maybe Al Sharpton should address this problem instead of continuing his inflammatory remarks.

What law enforcement agencies have "shoulder fired missiles"? There is a difference between armored personal carriers, combat fatigues, semi automatic rifles and " tanks and shoulder fired missiles".

Officers have to protect themselves and the people but tanks and RPG's are military only.

Where, why, when?

They need to arrest and incarcerate the low lifes looting, burning down buildings and committing other felonies. These rioters are criminals.

When I was being raised, if you had a police officer tell you to do something, the response would have been "Yes Sir", and you did it. Or if any adult told you to do anything for that matter. I think that there are times when law enforcement uses excessive force, but I can't totally blame them for everything they are accused of doing. Instead of saying "Yes Sir" these days, the accused will fight and struggle, and often the officer is in danger of being hurt himself. Not to mention when the riot crowds arrive. They could care less if they cause injury to the police or even just bystanders. So, even if the officers are doing the right thing, you get the adrenalin pumping, and the crowds are yelling threats at the police, and sometimes they might use excessive force. I am not condoning that, but just explaining it. I have known many excellent police officers, and the way they are treated these days is far worse than most people know. Their lives are frequently on the line for just trying to do their job. There is not enough money to pay me to do their job. Again, I am not condoning when someone is hurt, when they are struggling, the officers get that adrenaline going, it may make them stronger than they realize. But nothing can justify the way the mobs respond by robbing, destroying other people's property, and hurting pther people. So it may come to using more military like force just to protect the innocent people. Just my opinion