My issue is with the increasing paramilitarization of police departments as a whole...
Now it seems like every Fife and Farva is wandering around dressed in tactical black, with enough impedimentia to stock a coupla gun show tables... And what's worse, it seems like "let's be safe out there" has morphed into "let's get them before they get us." They've got all the toys that the taxpayers will spring for, and by golly, they wanna try them out... City I live in recently got tasers... And suddenly traffic stops that would have gone like "Sir, would you please step out of the car - you have to use the door handle, sir..." started going like "Sir, would you please step out of.... ZAP! SOB wasn't moving fast enough!"
They're buying toys, and it seems like there's plenty of money for that, but try to suggest that they train a little? OMG... There's a surplus M-16 in a lot of trunks, but how much range time has the guy in the driver's seat had? What's gonna happen when, fueled by a serious adrenaline dump, he flips that magic switch?
Can't wait for this little burg to buy a bread truck... I'm sure that's probably on the wish list.
Personally, I think we oughta go back to the S&W Model 10 .38 Special, and teach cops to aim. And put 'em all in nicely fuel-efficient four-cylinder cars, and teach them how to use their radios and be observant. How to be proactive instead of reactive.
The average small town doesn't need a SWAT team. Look at the odds. Yeah, there _is_ a possiblity that someone is going to do something, but it's really, really low... That money would be better spent on raising the general level of training for the entire force.
The money's spent tho, so it's gotta be justified... So, instead of doing a "mailbox summons," suddenly it's normal for the boys in black to kick the door in at 3:00 ayem...
There's a LOT of attitude out there...
While we're at it - I remember when cops wore happy uniforms... Kkakis, etc... Now they're all in darkly disturbing garb, doubtlessly selected for it's psycological impact - Yeah, we respect your authoritay already, but you know something? We're now scared of you.
Cops, do you want civilians as your allies, or are we just "those people who you haven't arrested yet?"
Then again, if the ultimate goal is to have departments with an "us vs. them" mentality, it'll make it so much easier when the time comes for them to go door to door, following up on those 4473s...