No one made a decision to militarize the police in America. The change has come slowly, the result of a generation of politicians and public officials fanning and exploiting public fears by declaring war on abstractions like crime, drug use,… — Radley Balko Copy Share Image
“About twenty years later, the Pentagon would begin giving away millions of pieces of military equipment to police departments across the country for everyday… — Radley Balko Copy Share Image
“In the summer of 2002, Biden was pushing his RAVE Act, an absurdly broad law that would have made venue and club owners liable for running a drug operation if they merely sold the “paraphernalia” common to parties where people took Ecstasy—accessories like bottled water and glow sticks. After attempting to sneak the bill through Congress with various parliamentary maneuvers,… — Radley Balko Copy Share
“Clark wrote that there are common-law exceptions to the knock-and-announce rule known as an “exigent circumstances.” One such exception is if police believe that… — Radley Balko Copy Share Image
“Number of SWAT teams in the FBI alone in 2013: 56 Unlikely federal agencies that have used SWAT teams: US Fish and Wildlife Service, Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, US National Park Service, Food and Drug Administration Value of surplus military gear received by Johnston,… — Radley Balko Copy Share
“says the thrill of the raid may factor into why narcotics cops just don’t consider less volatile means of serving search warrants. “The thing is, it’s so much safer to wait the suspect out,” he says. “Waiting people out is just so much better. You’ve done your investigation, so you know their routine. So you wait until the guy leaves,… — Radley Balko Copy Share
Finally, this case should serve as yet another reminder of just how dangerous and volatile these police home invasions really are, and why we… — Radley Balko Copy Share Image
“In a couple of ways, the Watts riots were the first major incident to nudge the United States toward more militaristic policing.” — Radley Balko Copy Share Image
“Police officers today are a protected class, one no politician wants to oppose. Law enforcement interests may occasionally come up short on budgetary issues, but legislatures rarely if ever pass new laws to hold police more accountable, to restrict their powers, or to make them more transparent. In short, police today embody all of the threats the Founders feared were… — Radley Balko Copy Share
“Using general warrants, British soldiers were allowed to enter private homes, confiscate what they found, and often keep the bounty for themselves. The policy… — Radley Balko Copy Share Image
“When guarding buildings, mark a ‘DEAD’ line and announce clearly that those who cross it will be killed. Be sure to kill the first… — Radley Balko Copy Share Image
We'll all make better choices about diet, exercise, and personal health when someone else isn't paying for the consequences of those choices. — Radley Balko Copy Share Image
“Police need not announce themselves if doing so would jeopardize their safety, if they are in the midst of an emergency,” — Radley Balko Copy Share Image
