Militarization of Police.

[Old Sweat]

Here's another point of view, or at least an observation. The militarization was a result of the proliferation of automatic weapons in the hands of the bad guys, certainly in the US but also in Canada. In the days of the Bob Rae government in Ontario, there was considerable opposition to requests by the various police services to exchange their venerable S&W .38 revolvers for semi-automatic handguns. Bob and his gang were loathe to do this, as they feared setting off an "arms race" between the police and the bad guys, but eventually the police prevailed, whether after the PCs took over or not, I can not recall.

It also seems to me that the RCMP, at least, were issued C1 rifles, and I recall members doing "annual classification" on the Shilo rifle ranges. An upgrade to C7s/C8s seemed to be a natural progression.

 

[mariomike]

Regarding Delay of Service aka Staging.

I don't know about other jurisdictions. This is the SOP in Toronto,
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-49038.pdf

 

[daftandbarmy]

FWIW, I don't think I have ever seen the police operate like the military at  least from the "we're all one team, with one mission, one commander, and have each others' back" point of view.

IIRC that this is a result of the important role of the Peace Officer within the rule of law and our prevailing justice system, which is fine by me.

A more accurate thread title might therefore be "The Up-Gunning of the Police".

Just sayin'  

 

[ModlrMike]

Here's another point of view, or at least an observation. The militarization was a result of the proliferation of automatic weapons in the hands of the bad guys, certainly in the US but also in Canada. In the days of the Bob Rae government in Ontario, there was considerable opposition to requests by the various police services to exchange their venerable S&W .38 revolvers for semi-automatic handguns. Bob and his gang were loathe to do this, as they feared setting off an "arms race" between the police and the bad guys, but eventually the police prevailed, whether after the PCs took over or not, I can not recall.

It also seems to me that the RCMP, at least, were issued C1 rifles, and I recall members doing "annual classification" on the Shilo rifle ranges. An upgrade to C7s/C8s seemed to be a natural progression.

I think the arms race is less between the bad guys and the police, and more between the bad guys and the other bad guys. The police are left playing catch up.

 

[RedFive]

Also charged with 11 other counts.  A lot charges related to his oath office.  I watched the briefing and a lot of new info came out.  He kicked him in the head after he shot him and two rounds hit a bystander’s car with a driver and passenger.  Part of the charges.  That last part (the head kicking) is what seems to have triggered another protest there.

Facing life to the death penalty.

Initially they said the other officer was going to be a state’s witness but that has changed recently.

The officer’s attorney has released a statement about the taser being pointed at him.  States that he reason to believe ve he was trying to disable and injure or something to that effect.

I'm limited as to what exactly I can say as the matter is still under investigation, however I was involved in a similar circumstance not so long ago. A suspect managed to unholster a taser from a Member, and deployed it twice, successfully, against two Members. The only reason that suspect is still breathing is there was no clean shot to stop the threat, at the time the threat of grievous bodily harm and/or death presented itself. We managed to retrieve the taser from the suspect with a large amount of persuasion.

A civilian oversight agency is currently investigating all involved Members due to the level of injury to the suspect as a result of all the persuasion.

All that to say, my level of patience for members of the public screaming about brutality, accountability and transparency is zero. We could have justifiably shot this man, but did not. We are being held accountable, by way of civilian, independent investigation. If that investigation clears us a long and detailed report will be made public. If charges are warranted, they will be laid. And all that hangs over my head, each and every day, as I continue to do the job for an increasingly hostile public, who are not educated or aware of the differences between Canada and the United States.

 

[Jarnhamar]

[quote author=RedFive]

All that to say, my level of patience for members of the public screaming about brutality, accountability and transparency is zero.
[/quote]

Well too bad.

Police, like the military, need to be transparent, accountable for their actions and taken to task when they're guilty of brutality against citizens.

Yea some citizens are going to unfairly scream police brutality anytime a cop looks at them sideways. That sucks, genuinely sorry you guys and girls have to deal with that bs.

There's plenty examples of police going too far and breaking the rules along with some pretty shoddy looking accountability and transparency.

 

[OldSolduer]

WHEN the criminals no longer can carry semi auto or fully automatic weapons, or have armor piercing ammunition or ballistic vests then the police can scale back the "militarization" thing.

 

[RedFive]

Well too bad.

Police, like the military, need to be transparent, accountable for their actions and taken to task when they're guilty of brutality against citizens.

Yea some citizens are going to unfairly scream police brutality anytime a cop looks at them sideways. That sucks, genuinely sorry you guys and girls have to deal with that bs.

There's plenty examples of police going too far and breaking the rules along with some pretty shoddy looking accountability and transparency.

I should clarify that my patience for screams of additional layers of those things is zero. As is my tolerance for people who know literally nothing about it, and scream for what we already have because they're willfully ignorant.

I fully embrace and trust the system of accountability as it exists. It is there to keep us honest, and weed out those who do not deserve to stand in our ranks.

 

[Jarnhamar]

That's fair. Looks like I took your comment out of context sorry RedFive.

I personally don't think additional layers are needed, I think we need to tighten up the ones we have now.

 

[RedFive]

That's fair. Looks like I took your comment out of context sorry RedFive.

I personally don't think additional layers are needed, I think we need to tighten up the ones we have now.

I would agree with you. A read through "Blamed and Broken" by Curt Petrovich will shake anybody's faith in the "system" as it were.