When your local paramilitary police force attacks...
0 Comments Published by Ryan on 1/10/2008 at 1:44 PM.
Another day, another gross abuse of power from a local police force.
Thanks, in large part, to the mass availability of discarded weapons and equipment from the U.S. military, local police departments have spent ridiculous amounts of money arming themselves to the teeth - to deal with a threat most departments will never face.
Of course, most of these departments aren't located in Miami, or Los Angeles, or Detroit. And that's really the heart of the problem. When you're a S.W.A.T. commander in Podunk, Nowhere who hasn't had any "action" in months, the idea of using S.W.A.T to carry out tasks previously performed by regular police officers seems more and more reasonable - especially when you have to justify the purchase of those assault rifles and that Bradley fighting vehicle during the next city commission meeting.
These "no-knock" raids are carried out in the middle of the night, usually when you're sleeping, and involve a handful of S.W.A.T. officers - who are masked and armed with assault weapons - who either tear down your door or perhaps your living-room wall, and then proceed to storm into your home like the Waffen-SS.
Police departments have become all too willing to delegate tasks that are even remotely threatening to their S.W.A.T teams. Its the widespread availability that's the problem. S.W.A.T. personnel constantly train for a worst case scenario that, in all likelihood, will never happen, especially not in Small-Town, Wherever. The result is that whenever an even remote possibility of "action" presents itself, these guys are chomping at the bit to prove their mettle. What follows is oftentimes a gross overuse of force and a significant threat to public safety.
A tactical law enforcement team broke into Tom Shiflett's home and took his 11-year-old son to hospital for court-ordered medical treatment for a minor head injury.
Garfield County's All Hazards Response Team raided the home Friday night, a day after Jon Shiflett fell after grabbing the handle of a moving car. The child was returned to the family at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, hours after the raid.
"Inappropriate is not nearly strong enough a word. It was gross irresponsibility and stupidity," said Ross Talbott, owner of the Apple Tree Mobile Home Park south of New Castle who rents to the Shifletts and who witnessed the raid. "Is this Russia? I don't know what we're coming to when they think your kid needs medical help and they send a SWAT team."
In the end, the injury wasn't as severe as caseworkers from the Garfield County Department of Social Services thought when they went before a judge seeking a search warrant and order for medical treatment.
The doctor recommended fluids, Tylenol and ice to treat the bruises, according to a copy of Jon's patient aftercare instructions.
Thanks, in large part, to the mass availability of discarded weapons and equipment from the U.S. military, local police departments have spent ridiculous amounts of money arming themselves to the teeth - to deal with a threat most departments will never face.
Of course, most of these departments aren't located in Miami, or Los Angeles, or Detroit. And that's really the heart of the problem. When you're a S.W.A.T. commander in Podunk, Nowhere who hasn't had any "action" in months, the idea of using S.W.A.T to carry out tasks previously performed by regular police officers seems more and more reasonable - especially when you have to justify the purchase of those assault rifles and that Bradley fighting vehicle during the next city commission meeting.
These "no-knock" raids are carried out in the middle of the night, usually when you're sleeping, and involve a handful of S.W.A.T. officers - who are masked and armed with assault weapons - who either tear down your door or perhaps your living-room wall, and then proceed to storm into your home like the Waffen-SS.
Police departments have become all too willing to delegate tasks that are even remotely threatening to their S.W.A.T teams. Its the widespread availability that's the problem. S.W.A.T. personnel constantly train for a worst case scenario that, in all likelihood, will never happen, especially not in Small-Town, Wherever. The result is that whenever an even remote possibility of "action" presents itself, these guys are chomping at the bit to prove their mettle. What follows is oftentimes a gross overuse of force and a significant threat to public safety.
