Jon Oliver on Militarization of Our Police
Compassionate Oregon opposes the militarization of our local law enforcement agencies and the dramatic increase in the use and now primary purpose of SWAT teams to execute search warrants for drugs. In the report linked below it is cited that the use SWAT teams for this purpose has increased 1400%.
The program at the Department of Defense used to filter used military equipment including armored vehicles, heavy artillery such as grenade launchers and armor piercing weaponry and other equipment in an attempt to protect local communities from the terrorist threat, has perverted the mission of most local law enforcement departments and put them in the untenable position of viewing and reacting to local disruptions in their communities as “us versus them” and in many instances treating the population as if it were the enemy.
In John Oliver’s coverage of the debacle in Ferguson Missouri is spot on and we encourage everyone to click on the link below for his commentary.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/08/18/john_oliver_on_ferguson_missouri_and_police_militarization_video.html