I’m a big fan of Robb Allen over at the blog Sharp as a Marble. He’s from my neck of the woods and is passionate about the Second Amendment. Heck, I even put him on my Blogroll. But I’m annoyed at a recent post about SWATting.
In his entry, he condemns the militarization of the police, and its abuses, which include the practice of sending the police to a fake critical incident (SWATting). His post was prompted by the SWATting of blogger Patrick Frey. However, Allen and others assert that apparently SWAT is part of the problem:
“This entire episode has been enabled by the constant militarization of the police force.
SWAT teams should be rarer than hen’s teeth. Instead, every Mayberry has given Barney Fife fully automatic rifles, a tear gas grenade launcher, an APC to drive around town, and riot gear to wear as their daily uniform. Oh, and they get a nice PDF on how to use it all, and use it they must (otherwise they lose their budgets!).
This is a recipe for the exact thing these leftists are dreaming of – A full on police state where anyone who goes against them can be bullied into silence or, barring that, murdered.”
Further:
“Instead of trying to figure out whodunnit, why not make SWATting impossible to perform in the first place? Demilitarize the police and this tactic cannot happen. We don’t need our police force looking like some Third World Shithole Army and the ‘need’ for these teams is greatly overstated.”
In one of his responses in the comments section Mr. Allen goes on to state:
“Don’t get me wrong – again, I want cops to show up when they get a phone call saying someone has murdered someone, but I want cops and not soldiers. I also want cops trained to NOT use their guns as their first line of action. As said above, Deputy Jane’s 9mm will kill you just as dead as Specialist Johnson’s Tactical AR (only it will probably take a few more punctures).”
My response in his comment section was:
“From my perspective, the “militarization” of the citizenry and its abuses has prompted the increase in training and specialization for police departments. You would not have SWAT teams without the SLA, Black Panthers, White Supremacists, Sovereign Citizens or a host of other unlawful threats to America that cannot by law be handled on U.S. soil by the U.S. Military.
‘Deputy Jane and her 9mm’ did respond to the North Hollywood bank robbery. Thankfully so did SWAT trained officers.”
SWATting is a dangerous prank, though it is rare. I am not able to find any deaths or injuries attributed to fake 911 calls and the deployment of SWAT. In blogger Frey’s “SWATting” incident, a SWAT Team was not even sent–patrol deputies were!
So from the seldom practiced event of making a fake 911 call, to an inaccurately reported blogger’s unfortunate incident, some would have us return our law enforcement agencies to pre-1975 levels of effectiveness in the stark realities of 2012. Sad.
I strongly support the Second Amendment. In a perfect world, no police or tactical teams should be necessary. What I can’t abide is homicidal and sociopathic behavior that preys on the good people of the United States of America.
I am obviously partisan in this discussion (or argument, if you consider blood pressure the barometer of which one). I can only speak to my professional experience, and not what other citizens have “read in the newspaper.”
I was a SWAT operator for over 20 years. We used our teamwork, training, and tactics to solve several hundred critical incidents. Our team has only taken two suspects’ lives. Those lives were forfeited by virtue of their owners’ actions.
SWAT members function in leadership and tactical roles on the street, where most incidents are taken to a safe conclusion without the activation of their team.
I am proud to have been thanked by hostages released from mortal fear, to have carried children from extreme dangers caused by the criminal acts of their parents, and to have protected our citizens from violent, rampaging individuals. I did not read about these events in the media.
I am certain SWAT’s existence is necessary. So do victims. I am thankful there are those who have not needed us, but I don’t think anyone has the right to speak out on behalf of those who have.
Randall
Well said.
I am continually annoyed by people who:
– assert the media is not to be believed on gun control issues because of incomplete, inept and biased reporting, YET
– believe everything the media posts about supposed bad police behavior.
Sorry, but you can’t have it both ways. The moron news writers don’t suddenly become enlightened guardians of the truth because they publish something that feeds into your preconceived ideas.
-Richard
Thanks, Richard. I guess that was one of my “rants.”
Randall
Randall,
Thanks for your service to America and law and order. Your points are well considered. As to Richard’s comments about the media, always keep in mind that the media is a for profit business judged by ratings, not unbiased reporting (or follow up). As a citizen I would rather support SWAT teams and never need them than the reverse. From your comments it sounds like Robb wants to throw out the baby with the bath water. Some oversight might be called for instead. Of course the article I just read about the DOD giving state and local police agencies military grade weapons, up to and including helicopters might have something to do with Officer B. Fife getting over equipped.
Thanks,
Steve
Hi Steve,
I agree about oversight. It is necessary in any situation where there is a possibility of internal abuses. In today’s environment, the threat of litigation and legal action provide some structure for this. The best preventative to misuse is to select the right mature and responsible officers for SWAT duty. Thanks for commenting!
Randall
Well said Randall!
I too enjoy reading Robb’s blog, but his rant on SWAT teams only exposes ignorance to the realities faced by law enforcement today. Your mention of the North Hollywood bank robbery incident (where over 2000 rounds were fired) is a great example of what a SWAT team can do. Dozens of patrol officers responded, many fired at the bad guys, none of them were able to successfully end the threat. Only when four SWAT cops arrived, with heavy vests and rifles, was the threat ended. I bet you a dollar that any citizen in the area of that barrage of gunfire was more than happy to have SWAT teams.
As to the comment about the military issuing equipment to local agencies – most of that equipment is decommissioned (too old to use currently). Yes, some agencies have been able to acquire helicopters. Some have acquired armored vehicles – usually an unarmed M113 or similar personnel carrier. But most have acquired personal equipment such as M-16’s, night vision goggles, etc.
Helicopters and armored vehicles are very expensive and most agencies can’t afford them outside of grants or government give-a-ways. A free armored vehicle gives a smaller agency a safer rescue vehicle during active shooters or armed barricaded subject calls. The lucky few who have obtained helicopters can use them for a wide variety of legitimate police uses including – safer pursuit monitoring, search and rescue, acting as an air ambulance, surveillance of drug houses or grow operations, overwatch during high-risk stops or arrests, providing aerial flood light or IR search for suspects who have fled, etc. Very cool when you can call in their help.
Those still not convinced need to understand the locations of most of the school active shooter situations across the country. By far they have come in rural, or small to mid-size cities – not greater metropolitans! And those agencies serve high-risk warrants too. Maybe not as frequently as the big cities, but the need is still there.
Having SWAT teams, armored vehicles, rifles, even helicopters, can greatly increase the opportunity to end those deadly events quicker and save lives! And “saving lives” is the mission of SWAT. Deadly force is the last resort, and used to save victims, hostages, and innocents. Like you said, when deadly force is used it was the choice of the bad guy for it to happen.
Without SWAT, the majority of communities would suffer a similar fate as the DOZENS of LAPD patrol officers who were pinned down by the rampaging bank robbers who had rifles and body armor. Without SWAT more people suffer, more people are hurt, and more people die.
Is there really a question then to the need for SWAT teams?!
Sorry, you got me on a rant too!
I will happily share my rant space with you, Aaron.
The need for more SWAT – you have to be joking
We have every local yocal carrying around M16’s dressing in military uniforms imitating military tactics against the very civilian population which swears them the duty to care for them. We are wearing solid black to induce terror, just like Al-Qaeda, not wearing name-tags or identifiable badges conducting military warfare against the populace, just like Al-Qaeda swearing that we have some justifiable purpose to operate a private corporate army on US soil.
We need more non-essential under-trained misinformed jack booted thugs conducting war against our loved ones like we need to be teaching our kids Al-Qaeda’s techniques to counter the swatzi invasion and police state.
How many civilians did the LA Police put in direct harm firing their weapons at the North Hollywood bank robbery? Do any of you ever take a moment to consider that fact? Or is it justifiable to fire your weapons without knowing where your bullets will land? How lucky are the surrounding neighbors to that bank that they weren’t shot by the LA police who just had to get the bad guy at any cost? When the 4 swat members showed on site they sprayed full automatic M16 fire under the vehicles and admitted to trying to bounce shots off pavement to ‘get their man’ with no regard to where in the next 5 miles those shots would land. Not to mention forcing medical help away from the suspects in custody so they bleed out for retribution. Real honorable teamwork there and commendable actions standing around the suspects joking watching them bleed to death.
No, you FNG’s aren’t welcome to go out and get armored carriers and any resemblance of military weaponry or gear to use to exercise a warrant or active shooter scenario. How much of a cherry are you that you can’t shoot a suspect with your service pistols that you need a M16 or other military weaponry to initiate police actions with a team of officers behind you and 100’s or 1000’s of fellow officers standing by to render assistance? If you can’t hit a face sized moving target with your service pistol then you shouldn’t be serving high risk warrants. MP5 = Military police 5, not for civilian police agencies, but every swinging dick out there ‘must’ have one or their poor department can’t operate safely, lol. Same now is true with the M16,.. you guys using them under the color of authority against a civilian populace are pathetic.
“Having SWAT teams, armored vehicles, rifles, even helicopters, can greatly increase the opportunity to end those deadly events quicker and save lives!”
I just don’t know how our forefathers ever got along ‘serving’ their community as a peace officer without helicopters, armored carriers, swat teams, military gear and tactics. You waste tax payer dollars because you can, not because any of that ‘gear’ ever saved a life, especially when every bit of it is meant to take lives.
I’ve never saved a life with my M16, but have taken many. Stop pretending to be a soldier and go back to not wearing a gun as most of you are clueless to the damage you are doing to the very people you swore an oath to serve and protect.
The thin blue line is just another name for the line of corruption – do your jobs, stop breaking the very laws you are sworn to uphold and you should never be afraid of your fellow officer crossing that line to put your corrupt ass in jail.
MP5 is actually from the German “Maschinenpistole 5.” Thanks for playing, though.
“I’ve never saved a life with my M16, but have taken many.” Kinda Chuck Norris-y, don’t you think.
Randall
I guess when you can’t address the problem a conversation exposes, its always easier to pick at insignificant details Randall. The mp5 was made for the german military police, civilian police have no business touching them unless they are swat trained and qualified to a national standard. Same holds true for any military weapon Randall.
I can see how looking at what a soldier does or says as chuck noriss’y I guess. Kind of how we all look at militarizing police as insane. Or at-least the ‘we’ that doesn’t make their living off the backs of tax payer dollars. I guess a person’s perspective can make them see through coke bottle glasses. Any of you are welcome to put down your sunday dresses and join us out in the sand anyday.
Thanks for playing 2 Randall and allowing my rant in your blog.
less I forget, thank you to all the officers who served the constitution honorably.
I look forward to prosecuting those who don’t and dishonor the lives of those who died in service of our great nation.
Your conversation exposed no problem, as far as I was concerned. Your point of view was plain as day.
Randall