Saturday, November 26, 2011

Are we turning cops into soldiers?

Check out the Nov. 21st article in The Atlantic at http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/11/patrolmen-into-soldiers-how-did-this-happen/248828/ about militarizing our police.

Right in the middle of it is a photo of MARV. No, wait; it's not our MARV. It's one in Tampa, Florida. The article mentions other MARVS, including one not so far away - in Neenah, Wisc.

The author of that article quotes Mike Lofgren, whom he identified as a former Republican Senate staffer: "One further similarity to the military that the police have achieved is something not often remarked on and that goes beyond the physical substance of the militarization: a psychological distancing and de-humanization vis-à-vis the population."

Does this happen right here in McHenry County, when deputies strut around in their "muscle" t-shirts and with their shaved heads? Are they approachable? Do kids and young adults look at them with respect? Do those deputies even care if they are respected?

Some don't, and their attitudes and feelings are transmitted to the public. Who is in charge of preserving the image of the deputies of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department? You got it. The Sheriff. Just look at what he allows.

Of course, he might not know about it, if he spends too much time in Cape Coral or Minocqua. But then his #1 knows about it. That would "Sheriff-elect" Andy Zinke, currently known as the Undersheriff. Why does he tolerate it?

Should the McHenry County Sheriff's Department get rid of MARV? Does the public know how many assault rifles (those fully-automatic ones) are available to deputies? Any grenade launchers? Any machine guns? Does the public know what training and qualifications a deputy must have, before he can be armed with an assault rifle?

I do not intend for a law-enforcement officer to be "under-armed." If there is an extreme situation, then extreme response is needed.

But I remember the day when a SWAT team went to a woman's Island Lake residence in combat gear and with weapons drawn. Why? She owed a couple of hundred dollars in unpaid court costs and fines. Those dollars could have been collected with a letter and a 44¢ stamp.

4 comments:

Know better said...

I now understand why there are so few posts that disagree with you. If you don't like them you just censor them.
Free speach.... not on this blog.
Way to go Frank.

Gus said...

I wish you were right, Billy. I delete very few comments.

I believe many deputies and officers would comment here, but they fear for their jobs. I welcome dissenting opinions and detest the commanders and chiefs (and sheriff) who would retaliate against any officer caught expressing an opinion here.

Tell me again about free speech, Billy... And how about you? Willing to state your legal name?

Know better said...

You can't be trusted with real names because you censor and only print what you like.

Gus said...

billy, you must realize that I mean submitting a comment with your true name, not just informing me of your name. Don't use "billy".