“We are a warlike people...easily distracted from our assignment of preparing for the coming of the Lord. When

enemies rise up, we commit vast resources to the fabrication of gods of stone and steel — ships, planes, missiles, fortifications — and depend on them for protection and deliverance. When threatened, we become anti-enemy

instead of pro-kingdom of God; we train a man in the art of war and call him a patriot, thus, in the manner of

Satan's counterfeit of true patriotism, perverting the Savior's teaching [to love your enemies]."

—LDS Church President Spencer W. Kimball, 1976

The Militarization of the Police

By Chris Baker

It is 2014, and the news channels are awash with accounts of police brutality, murder

trials for police officers, and a constant stream of debates regarding the justification for police

killings. Although these debates are healthy, and very clearly need to happen, there are two

aspects to this that are not being talked about much, if at all. One of those aspects relates to the

training of police Officers. It is scary enough that in America 2014, police Officers and SWAT

teams look more and more like seasoned soldiers, with the influx in machine guns, Mine

Resistant, Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAP) and other military equipment. But more

specifically, it is that these police Officers are being trained in military tactics in order to

accomplish their objectives. Gone are the days of knocking on a door, explaining that you have a

warrant to search the premises, and conducting an investigation. America is now in a time of

“no-knock raids,” in which without telling occupants that the police are entering, and dressed

like SWAT teams, they break down doors, throw in flash-bang grenades, and start shooting – all

over two dollars’ worth of marijuana. No, this is not hyperbole. It is America, circa 2014, and

this story, as well as others will be discussed.

The second aspect, and perhaps the most troubling, is the context of liberty in relations

these events. With the scandal surrounding Edward Snowden, and the NSA unwarranted spying

and wiretapping, it has become clear and evident that the American government has reached

unprecedented levels of paranoia and fear. The government’s seemingly only way to combat that

paranoia and fear is through similarly warped responses, all in the name of security here in the

homeland. This is why we are now seeing such egregious amounts of attacks on civil liberties,

resulting in the deaths of thousands. This will be discussed in detail, with the idea of convincing

the reader that a liberty based society must have some sort of mechanism in place for policing

the police. One answer to that is filming all police encounters, and knowing important pieces of

law that support the act.

Weapons, ammunition, and...tanks?

It seems like it is every day that more and more reports are coming out regarding the

amount and worth of military grade equipment trickling down to local police departments. What

is most shocking is that this isn’t a relatively new phenomenon. It has been going on for well

over two decades. In what is called the Defense Department Surplus Equipment program, since

1990, over 5 billion dollars’ worth of equipment has made its way from the battle-fields in the

Middle East to local P.D’s (Dance, Musgrave, Meagher, 2014). Much of it is in office supplies,

but 1.4 billion dollars’ worth is in the form of weapons, ammunition, armored vehicles, and

other, similar military equipment. Since the scandal in Ferguson, Missouri alone, this equates to

28 million dollars in “tactical equipment” in just the last three months (Dance, Musgrave,

Meagher, 2014). What exactly are these police departments getting? Below is a small summary

of examples of just some of the military equipment gained from the 1033 program.

Police in Johnston, R.I., with a population less than 29,000, acquired two bomb disposal robots, 10 tactical

trucks, 35 assault rifles, more than 100 infrared gun sights and two pairs of footwear designed to protect against

explosive mines. The Johnson police department has 67 sworn Officers.

The parks division of Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources was given 20 M-16 rifles, while the fish and

wildlife enforcement division obtained another 20 M-16s, plus eight M-14 rifles and ten .45-caliber automatic

pistols.

Campus police at the University of Louisiana, Monroe, received 12 M-16s to help protect the 8,811 students there

(or perhaps to keep them in line).

The warden service of Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife received a small aircraft, 96 night

vision goggles, 67 gun sights and seven M-14 rifles. (Dance, Musgrave, Meagher, 20014)

This graph contains the spread, in monetary worth, of the equipment in the last 25 years.

Source:U . S . DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE , DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY , DISPOSITION SERVICES

What is fascinating to note through all of this data is that local police departments are not

just receiving ammunition, weapons, or extra magazines. Law enforcement agencies all across

America are receiving drones, mine resistant armored vehicles, and other military vehicles. In

fact, SWAT commander Captain E.M Marsh related that “500 similar vehicles had been

distributed to law enforcement organizations across the country” (Harwood, 2014).

A Standing Army

“The liberties of a people are in danger from a large standing army, not only because the rulers

may employ them for the purposes of supporting themselves in any usurpations of power, which

they may see proper to exercise, but there is great hazard, that an army will subvert the forms of

the government, under whose authority, they are raised, and establish one, according to the

pleasure of their leader.” – Brutus Anti-

Federalist Paper#10

The constitution grants the Federal

Government the power to having a standing

Navy, indefinitely, as well as to provide funds

and raise taxes to this end. However, with a

standing Army, there is no such provision. In

fact, Article I, Section 8, Clause 12 of the Constitution specifically states that an army is to be

funded, and provided for, for the space of two years at a time. Beyond that, there is to be a

militia, made up of free-men who are able to bear arms. Despite this, and for virtually all of

America’s history, there seems to have always been the “need” for an army, some new “war” to

fight. Where has the gotten America, today? It is apparent now that local police departments are

becoming almost indistinguishable from our armed forces. The lingo certainly gives credence to

the idea as well. There is a “war on poverty.” A “war on drugs.” A “war on terrorism.” With all

the things America is “at war” with, at home and abroad, is it any wonder that police start

looking more and more like seasoned soldiers, instead of your friendly neighborhood cop? This

is, of course, the very problem. Police become invading occupiers. They become, in effect, a

standing army. James Madison described the problem in this way: “Oppressors can tyrannize

only when they achieve a standing army, an enslaved press, and a disarmed populace” (Hunter,

2012). What does this mean for the people of America? It certainly cannot mean anything good.

A Sobering Statistic

Business Insider reports that since 2011, over 400 Americans have been killed by the

police. That statistic should be haunting to any liberty minded individual. According to FBI

reports from the

same year, “police

killed 404 suspects

in acts of ‘justifiable

homicide’"

(Windsor, 2014).

What is especially

scary about this statistic is that these numbers do not actually reflect true numbers necessarily.

What many people do not realize is that reporting statistics about police killings by law

enforcement agencies is voluntary. It is not something that has to be done. Nor do these numbers

include killings that aren’t justified, according to police criteria for determining a killing

justified (Windsor, 2014). It gets worse, too. As of December of 2013, Americans killed in the

Iraq war was 4489. Americans, here in America, killed by police numbers now over 5,000. And

since then, that number has only increased. More Americans have been killed, here at home, by

police, than by terrorists in Iraq. To put it another way, over three thousand people lost their

lives in the atrocity that was 9/11. America went to war over that. Statistically speaking,

Americans are now more likely to die in America from the police-related incidents, than by

terrorism. That is a sobering statistic indeed.

The Result?

With the American Government engaged in virtually every “war” imaginable, the

existence of a standing Army now a reality, armed to the teeth, and ready to enforce the law of

the government, what is the end result? Presented below are a few examples.

- In 2011, a Houston man, sleeping in his bathtub after a night on the town, was awoken by

SWAT teams invading his home, due to a call from a neighbor who reported that he was

“concerned with [Chadwick’s] (the victim) well-being.” Cops broke into his home, threw stun

grenades at him, shot him multiple times, tased him, and beat him repeatedly. “Chadwick was

then hauled off to Ft. Bend County Jail with a fractured nose, bruised ribs and what’s proven to

be permanent hearing loss. He was kept in an isolation cell for two full days. Remember,

Chadwick had never broken a law; he had committed no crime” (Agorist, 2014).

- In December of this month, protests at UC Berkley broke out in response to court rulings

exonerating the Officer involved with the death of 19 year old in Ferguson, Missouri. Attending

the protests were a group of Pastors and Seminary students. Pastor Cindy Pincus, 29, stopped to

render aid to a hurt protestor, when she noticed “from the corner of her eye, ... an Officer swing

a nightstick.” She said the blow sent her

staggering. "I had a brief blackout in my

vision. I saw stars," Pincus said. "I would say

it’s an indiscriminate and disproportionate

reaction to peaceful protests. It was completely,

way out of line” (McLaughlin, 2014).

- Earlier this year, in La Puenta, California, a

deputy with the Sherriff’s Department was

responding to a domestic abuse call. Breaking

into the wrong house, ignoring the “beware of

dog” sign, the Officer pepper-sprayed, and summarily executed, with 3 shots to the head,

Rosleen Banner’s pregnant dog. “One shot wasn’t enough? No they had to keep shooting her

while she was down and crying in pain and trying to get to her human mommy for help.

Deputies refused to allow Roxan (Rosleen’s nickname) to comfort or hold her while she died,”

Banner wrote on the Justice 4 Tata Facebook page. The website, “The Free Thought Project,”

chronicles what they are calling “puppycide.” “One only has to browse through our “puppycide”

section to understand how wide spread this disturbing trend is. What makes this even more tragic

is that not a single Officer has been killed by a dog in the past 50 years, yet police in the United

States kill a dog on average of every 90 minutes” (Rules, 2014).

- In May of 2011, Bernard Bailey went to his town hall on behalf of his daughter to fight a traffic

ticket she had received. Police Chief Richard Combs decided that was enough to have Mr.

Bailey arrested, charging him with “obstruction of justice.” Mr. Bailey realized what he was

being charged with was unlawful, and seeking to defuse the situation, went outside to his truck

to leave and let the matter go. Combs followed Bailey outside, attempted to wrestle Mr. Bailey

from his truck, and ended up shooting Mr. Bailey twice in the chest. Mr. Bailey died at the

scene. (CCNews, 2014)

- “A 20 year veteran of the CSU Monterey Bay police force, was given a notice of termination

this week for choosing not to immediately resort to violent escalation during a confrontation with

a suicidal student. The unidentified Officer was the first one on the scene when responding to an

incident involving a suicidal college student in his CSUMB dorm room in February of this year.

The Officer showed a heartening level of restraint when dealing with a student, who was in his

room with a knife and hammer, and was also threatening to light himself on fire. “He was

clearly a danger to himself and he was in crisis,” Marina Police Chief Edmundo Rodriguez said.

“We were trying to keep him from accessing the weapons or leave, to get him medical

attention.” Instead of immediately resorting to violence, this Officer was talking the student

down and de-escalating the situation. The Officer was successful in calming the student down

and was going to get him a glass of water when the Marina police department showed up, and

immediately began tasering the student.” The Officer who spent that time actually talking with

the student, and not immediately attacking him? That Officer was later fired for “a failure to

act.” Police murder people in the United States, and get paid leave and no trial. One Police

Officer does their job, and does it well? You are repaid with a pink slip.

What these cases serve to illustrate is not just that there are bad cops in the system, or

that some bad cops live under the radar. The problem is systemic. It is a part of the training of

these police Officers to be aggressive, to respond with little provocation with extreme prejudice

and force, and to use military tactics to do so. These are not just some examples of a few bad

eggs. This is a system-wide problem, and serves to underscore the point even further that the

militarization of the police is a problem, not just for freedom in America, but for security as

well.

Police Officers or Military Tacticians?

Two time Emmy Award and Edward R. Murrow award winning journalist Ben Swann

has dedicated the vast majority of his career investigating stories, sides, and perspectives

typically not covered by most media outlets. Much of his latest efforts revolve around police

brutality, the militarization of the police, and other issues and controversies surrounding the

police. In his latest video, “The Roots of Police Militarization,” Swann takes the viewer through

various cities, courtrooms, political action committees, and interviews in an attempt to

understand the roots of police militarization. In his video, Swann argues that although the

weapons, the armored vehicles, the 1033 program, and others may be a part of the militarization

of the police, but what really is fundamental to this new mindset in America is not that – it is the

tactics being used by police Officers. “What media has not helped the public understand is that

the real problem with militarization is not military equipment,” said Swann. “It’s the use by

police of military tactics.” Swann goes on to give 3 examples of cases where police used

excessive force, as would be appropriate for the military to use in times of war, in order to

describe exactly how these tactics play out in American homes. “The first example occurred in

Detroit, Michigan, when 7-year-old girl Aiyana Jones was awakened in the middle of the night

by a stun grenade developed for wartime raids, called a “flash bang,” which was thrown by a

SWAT team, and immediately set fire to her blanket. Following the release of the grenade, the

SWAT team stormed into the house, and mistakenly shot Jones through the neck, killing her. A

second incident occurred in Tucson, Arizona, when a SWAT team attempted to serve a search

warrant as part of a multi-house drug crackdown. Jose Guerena, an Iraq war veteran who lived in

the house, instructed his family to hide while he got his gun, after his wife became alarmed at

the sight of a shadowy figure

standing in their front yard,

holding a gun. Guerena retrieved

his gun – leaving the safety on –

and stepped into the living room.

The SWAT team then entered the

house and shot him 60 times.

Swann noted that the police “have still never said whether they found drugs” in Guerena’s home.

A third example occurred in Atlanta, Georgia, when a SWAT team visited a family’s home in

search of a small amount of drugs they believed were in the possession of the family’s nephew.

The parents, three daughters, and a 19-month-old baby boy were asleep in a converted garage

when police opened the door and threw a stun grenade in. The grenade landed in the 19-month-

old baby’s crib. It blew a hole in his chest, and resulted in such severe burns that the baby was

placed in a medically induced coma. Swann said that, according to author Radley Balkow, “The

most common use of SWAT teams today is to serve narcotics warrants, usually with forced,

unannounced entry into the home” (Swann, 2014). 40,000 such “no-knock raids” happen every

year in America. The family whose toddler had a hole blown through its chest is now facing over

1 million dollars in medical expenses. (Lynn, 2014) No indictments were filed against the

Georgia SWAT team that caused the mess in the first place.

The Solution Is More Liberty

Benjamin Franklin said it best when he said “Those who would give up essential liberty

for a little security deserve neither liberty, nor security.” If a society decides they will ere on the

side of security, more often than not, they will wind up not only less free, but less secure as

well. So what can the American public do in the face of such adversity? The answer to questions

such as these has always been and will always be the wise application of knowledge. Education

is the most important tool for defense in a free society. It is absolutely pivotal that people know

their rights, and become familiar with court decisions regarding police actions. But one of the

best lines of defense the American public has when dealing with law enforcement is to film the

encounter.

The vast majority of cellular phones today come with video cameras built inside. When

dealing with law enforcement, it is crucial that people learn to utilize this technology, for their

safety and for others. Gizmodo, in conjunction with Reason Magazine, have compiled a list of

the 7 rules they find most essential for recording the police. Let us discuss those rules.

1. Know the Law (wherever you are) – 38 states explicitly declare that, within state law, it

is legal to film the police, so long as you do not physically hinder their ability to do their

job. Gizmodo says “the First Circuit Court of Appeals covering Massachusetts declared

the state's ban on recording police to be unconstitutional. In May, The Seventh Circuit

Court of Appeals covering Illinois also declared the state's harsh recording ban

unconstitutional, ordering authorities to stop enforcing it. In November, The Supreme

Court of the United States rejected Illinois' petition to appeal the Seventh Circuit Court's

ruling” (Gizmodo, 2014). In other words, get those cameras out, and defend yourself!

2. Do Not Secretly Film the Police – 12 States have laws on the books that state that a

person being filmed must first have given permission to be filmed. Illinois, an

infamously well-known anti-filming state, has had its laws struck down as

unconstitutional. Even still, to protect yourself, it is far better to announce your intent to

film, if possible. Gizmodo’s recommendation is “If you want to limit your legal exposure

and present a strong legal case, record police openly if possible. But if you videotape on-

duty police from a distance, such an announcement might not be possible or appropriate

unless police approach you” (Gizmodo, 2014).

3. Know How to Respond to Ignorant Cops – Do not respond in a hostile manner. Most

people are not comfortable being filmed, much less the Officer with the gun on their hip.

If the Officer comes up to you, and asks what you are doing, Gizmodo recommends

answering in the following way: “Avoid saying things like "I'm recording you to make

sure you're doing your job right" or "I don't trust you." Instead, say something like

"Officer, I'm not interfering. I'm asserting my First Amendment rights. You're being

documented and recorded offsite." Saying this while remaining calm and cool will likely

put police on their best behavior” (Gizmodo, 2014).

4. Do Not Share Your Video With the Police – Gizmodo’s reason? “If you capture video of

police misconduct or brutality, but otherwise avoid being identified yourself, you can

anonymously upload it to YouTube. This seems to be the safest legal option. For

example, a Massachusetts woman who videotaped a cop beating a motorist with a

flashlight posted the video to the Internet. Afterwards, one of the cops caught at the

scene filed criminal wiretapping charges against her. (As usual, the charges against her

were later dropped.) On the other hand, an anonymous videographer uploaded footage of

an NYPD Officer body-slamming a man on a bicycle to YouTube. Although the

videographer was never revealed, the video went viral. Consequently, the manufactured

assault charges against the bicyclist were dropped, the Officer was fired, and the bicyclist

eventually sued the city and won a $65,000 settlement” (Gizmodo, 2014).

5. Prepare to Be Arrested – It is a sad state of affairs when simply recording in defense of

your person and property is cause for arrest, but it is simply the truth. That said, you

cannot let that deter you from exercising your 1st amendment rights. Gizmodo declares,

“If you're rolling the camera, be very open and upfront about it. And look at it as a

potential act of civil disobedience for which you could go to jail." It's indeed disturbing

that citizens who are not breaking the law should prepare to be arrested, but in the current

legal fog this is sage advice” (Gizmodo, 2014).

6. Master Your Technology – Understand how your phone works, and download any apps

that will allow you to upload your video recording instantaneously. It is possible for cops

to find and delete recorded video, which is why it is important to know which apps

upload video while simultaneously recording it. Gizmodo recommends Bambuser. “The

magic of Bambuser is that it can instantly store your video offsite. This is essential for

preserving video in case police illegally destroy or confiscate your camera. But even with

it installed, you'll want to make sure that your device is always passcode protected. If a

cop snatches your camera, this will make it extremely difficult for her to simply delete

your videos. (If a cop tries to trick you into revealing your passcode, never, never, never

give it up!)” (Gizmodo, 2014).

7. Do Not Point Your Camera Like A Gun – This is a self-explanatory one. In this day and

age, the most common excuse by law enforcement for justifying a police shooting is

“fear for their life.” Filming police in a threatening manner, even if it is simply holding

your phone in a way that might make the cop think you have a gun can turn into a

nightmare real quick. “Obviously, those recording with a smartphone lack this angled

viewfinder. But you can get a satisfactory shot while holding your device at waist level,

tilting it upward a few degrees. This posture might feel awkward at first, but it's

noticeably less confrontational than holding the camera between you and the Officer's

face. Also try to be in control of your camera before an Officer approaches. You want to

avoid suddenly grasping for it. If a cop thinks you're reaching for a gun, you could get

shot” (Gizmodo, 2014).

It is important to understand that a society based on liberty is an informed and educated

society. Liberty must be at the forefront of any controversy, any issue, and any topic, as it

pertains to rights, life or death, or freedom or captivity. A liberty based society understands the

role of police, the flaws in their tactics and line of thinking, and knows how to protect itself from

egregious assaults on that liberty. It is vital to any healthy society, and it should not be

intimidated out of existence due to the presence of a badge and gun.

Mad World

2014 has been an interesting year. America has witnessed one of its bloodiest years, in

terms of dealing with police. To be fair, it is essential that one does not walk away from this

essay believing that all cops are bad. That is not the argument of this essay, nor its intent.

Instead, it is to persuade people that the system itself is corrupt. The system itself purposefully

teaches Law Enforcement Officers to be explicitly suspicious of anyone and everyone. And in a

world where you are taught to be paranoid, it is no real surprise when cops adopt a “shoot first,

ask questions later” mentality. It is also no surprise that in a world gripped with fear of terrorism

that many well-intentioned people have clamored for more security to defend against terror. But

what a liberty based society cannot do is give up liberty in order to feel good about increased

security. To do so is to not truly understand the situation. It is to put power into the hands of

people who are not supposed to have that power to begin with. And the results can be

catastrophic.

Conclusion to All of These Essays

These essays have one common thread between them – liberty. It is not just a fancy word

thrown about to make one feel patriotic, or used as a cliché, or catch-phrase. Liberty is a real,

tangible principle which finds its power in its inexhaustible ability to be applied to virtually any

given situation. These essays have sought to teach one what liberty is, how property goes hand

in hand with liberty, and that liberty is not just an abstract principle, but also a very real and

applicable measure of right and wrong. Liberty is also a defense against corruption, tyranny, and

intimidation. These essays sought to apply liberty to situations which would normally be

reserved for increased security measures. The problem with increased security measures that do

not look to liberty for inspiration is that liberty then takes a backseat to the situation, rarely ever

to be recovered, once lost. We must never forget that we are free, and that we have been

endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, among those are life, liberty, and the

pursuit of happiness. Liberty is the answer to our security woes. Liberty is the answer to our

societal woes. Liberty makes us safe. Liberty guarantees it. Liberty safeguards it. And perhaps

most importantly, liberty applies equally to all, with no contradiction. To end, I’ll quote Rene

Descartes, but add something of my own.

Cogito Ergo Sum – I think, therefore I am.

I am, therefore I am free.

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