Is the 5.56x45 ideal for law enforcement?

[Varminterror]

I’ve never understood any implication such law enforcement should not be afforded some of the same tools as our Nation’s military. While I am neither, I am damned proud every day to be protected at home and abroad by America’s military men and women, and damned proud every day to be protected at home by Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement, and want these folks to have the tools required to crush evil in every form, wherever it may hide or run.

I can be #proudtobeprotected while at the same time asserting my God given right as a free-born American citizen to have the ability and tools to protect myself from tyranny.

 

[herrwalther]

When our County Sheriff/Emergency Management got an MRAP from the Feds, you should have heard the wailing and gnashing of teeth about it. We got it essentially for free at that. Some made points about the maintenance costs which is actually one of the few valid criticisms, but a alot of people questioned the need for a "military vehicle" for our rural-ish county.

An MRAP is one thing. There were picketing protests in our small town when the last mayor secured 2 medium skin Humvees with the federal money grants. The humor came for me when they asked me to give driving pointers at a class for the officers.

There's really no question at this point that the AR is the standardized platform and until a big change happens it won't go away. But back in the 80's (when Terminator came out), 5.56 was was practically the only chambering for an AR-15/M16. Today there are a lot of alternatives that might be a more ideal fit for law enforcement -- 300 BO for example. We could debate which alternative chambering makes the best choice, but unlike for military use, there doesn't seem to be any compelling argument for 5.56. It's like the only reason is because the "military uses it" and because "we've always done it that way."

You are not thinking with a bean counter's point of view and experience. Why is 5.56/AR the dominant LEO firearm? Money. Ammo and firearm availability is wide open for law enforcement to pickup with military surplus. My small town police force had a cruiser get damaged in a landslide. The money was not around to fix the 2015 Dodge Charger so they had to rely on scrap parts from a junk yard to fix the 1994 Crown Vic that has been sitting in the parking lot. When the county police could not replace a body camera that was damaged in an incident, they came by the detention facility where I worked to see if we had spares. They left with a couple Muvi Micros that had questionable functionality.

 

[Hookeye]

Historically police forces don't just crush evil.
Really p*ssed me off when the Assault Rifle Ban took effect and quite a few Boys in Blue laughed and thought they were above the people
they worked for.

 

[Hookeye]

Bad guys have some tough guns.
LE to counter the bad guys need tough guns.

And good citizens need tough guns.
To defend against the common criminal and those that may be agents.
That is what the 2A is all about (that last part).

A free and good people, staying free.

 

[Hookeye]

Know some good people in LE.
They shake their heads when I tell them I only have one AR.

 

[Garandimal]

Is the 5.56x45 ideal for law enforcement?​

Better than the 9mm Euro.

​

GR

 

[Garandimal]

Historically police forces don't just crush evil.
Really p*ssed me off when the Assault Rifle Ban took effect and quite a few Boys in Blue laughed and thought they were above the people
they worked for.

​

GR

 

[Robert]

Seems we have veered off into the ditch on this one. Guess we'll just call it a day.