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> To Americans this might not seem odd, because you've been so conditioned to view police like the military This is an extremely recent occurrence, specificall

by drb91 8y ago

> To Americans this might not seem odd, because you've been so conditioned to view police like the military This is an extremely recent occurrence, specifically since 9/11 escalated first responders to `unconditional fragile hero` level.

sorokod 8y ago
Google trends for "swatting" - doesn't look related to 9/11 at all. https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?cat=16&date=all&geo=US&q=swatting https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?cat=16&date=all&geo...
- drb91 8y ago
  I was referring to the public view of police as an extension of the military, not swatting.
  - ensignro2340 8y ago
    I think Nixon and Reagan’s push for “tough on crime” policy (policy that went on to be pushed further by HW Bush, Clinton, and W Bush)also played a large role. But it definitely got worse after 9/11.
    - drb91 8y ago
      Agreed. I should note I am too young to remember much before 9/11; I just remember the attitude shift at the time.
jdietrich 8y ago
I'd argue that the real genesis of the paramilitarization of policing was in the civil unrest of the late 1960s. Between the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement, local and state police were being overwhelmed with the demands of policing major demonstrations and riots and became increasingly reliant on the National Guard. Fears of domestic guerrilla warfare by groups like the Black Panthers and the Symbionese Liberation Army led to the establishment of SWAT teams across the country during the 1970s. The war on drugs saw a vast increase in SWAT activity and funding. The 1981 Military Cooperation with Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies Act facilitated the transfer of military equipment and resources to local and state police departments. The vast homeland security budget has undoubtedly accelerated the process, but police units with military equipment and training were already widespread before 9/11.

by drb91 8y ago

sorokod 8y ago

Google trends for "swatting" - doesn't look related to 9/11 at all. https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?cat=16&date=all&geo=US&q=swatting https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?cat=16&date=all&geo...

drb91 8y ago
I was referring to the public view of police as an extension of the military, not swatting.
- ensignro2340 8y ago
  I think Nixon and Reagan’s push for “tough on crime” policy (policy that went on to be pushed further by HW Bush, Clinton, and W Bush)also played a large role. But it definitely got worse after 9/11.
  - drb91 8y ago
    Agreed. I should note I am too young to remember much before 9/11; I just remember the attitude shift at the time.

jdietrich 8y ago

I'd argue that the real genesis of the paramilitarization of policing was in the civil unrest of the late 1960s. Between the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement, local and state police were being overwhelmed with the demands of policing major demonstrations and riots and became increasingly reliant on the National Guard. Fears of domestic guerrilla warfare by groups like the Black Panthers and the Symbionese Liberation Army led to the establishment of SWAT teams across the country during the 1970s. The war on drugs saw a vast increase in SWAT activity and funding. The 1981 Military Cooperation with Civilian Law Enforcement Agencies Act facilitated the transfer of military equipment and resources to local and state police departments. The vast homeland security budget has undoubtedly accelerated the process, but police units with military equipment and training were already widespread before 9/11.