No worries. I know we probably won't see completely eye to eye on this and I'm ok with that.
I just think that there's a bigger picture begining to emerge from the way we use law enforcement to deal with certain issues. And I'm affraid that its creating alterior problems that I'm not certain is worth it.
Time to consider a new approach IMO to the wars on drugs and crime.
I have no problem with the equipment when its used in response to an equally comparative threat.
I see where you are coming from. I also agree to an extent when it comes to select branches of the government needing such tactics and equipment.
However when it come to actual police forces, i think they deserve every bit of equipment needed. Over the last two centuries the Criminal element has evolved decade by decade. As so should the police forces that "combat" these forces. I had a very long breakdown of statistical numbers of society (Historically and current). Showing how as social issues have changed the platform within this country so, has it changed the criminal element and the tools needed to combat it.
I also had data on murders each year compared with people shot by cops, then comparing them by social and racial groups. But it isn't worth the discussion. I even dug into your cato institute link, which as a whole looks horrific. But when broken down year by year it less than 1 hundreth of a percentage point of occurances when compared to the number of actions taken each year. If our politicians erred as often as what the cato institute showed the police erring, this country would be in a great place right now.
So lets leave it as I don't see the concern when it comes to local PD as most are saying. The fed some organizations I can agree with.
