It may also be that the police departments that seek to purchase military equipment operate in cities/neighborhoods with a higher incident of violent crime. Lo

It may also be that the police departments that seek to purchase military equipment operate in cities/neighborhoods with a higher incident of violent crime. Los Angeles PD for example was the poster boy for getting military style gear before most departments in the country, but at the time it also dealt with more serious violence than most police departments (such as drive-by shootings). The per capita incidence of police shootings in the US compared to other developed nations seems high until you normalize it by the per capita rate of violent crimes committed by citizens.