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 mo

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.