The line is not hard to draw on when to use this equipment.
Is the police force entirely overwhelmed and unable to conduct business as usual? If yes, then deploy the next level of force.
Could a single sheriff having a sit down conversation with someone probably resolve the situation without a show of force? If yes, then don't deploy excessive force.
What about all this dystopian spying equipment the government has? Are they going to use it to spy on political opponents, or are they going to use it to identify as many people as possible at this riot, and accurately charge and prosecute them for their crimes?
Come on AK guy, quit pointing that at people.
IMO, the last line you said would be the best option. Use the spy equipment and prosecute them later. The way it is right now, meeting them with military equipment is only going to raise tensions and drag this out longer, and it’s going to send the wrong message.
Isn't that nice, police refuse to stop the riots, but will arrest you for defending your business...
https://heavy.com/news/2020/05/john-rieple/
Great way to make us support the police.
This won't die down unless the media is gagged on the matter.
There are too big of profit motives here, with the media actively cheering them on.
Looks more like a problem with the law itself rather than the enforcement of the law.
I think the equipment is to be used in situations like the Boston bombings, or the Hollywood bank robbery. An argument can be made that they’re committing acts of terrorism, but that excuse can be made to deploy military equipment in a lot of situations. Should they be deployed when a sporting event turns into a riot? Do we really want the guard marching our streets every time a riot happens? I, personally, do not. I think it opens the door for future leaders to label something “terrorism” and use the military to counter it. What would stop the governor of Virginia from claiming thousands marching with guns to be an act of terrorism if the precedent to use military against citizens has been set? Slippery slope I don’t wish to go down.
The line is not hard to draw on when to use this equipment.
Is the police force entirely overwhelmed and unable to conduct business as usual? If yes, then deploy the next level of force.
Could a single sheriff having a sit down conversation with someone probably resolve the situation without a show of force? If yes, then don't deploy excessive force.
What about all this dystopian spying equipment the government has? Are they going to use it to spy on political opponents, or are they going to use it to identify as many people as possible at this riot, and accurately charge and prosecute them for their crimes?
P.S. The point at which you abandon a police department because it's being over run, is the point at which all available options of force have been exhausted and you are summarily defeated.
The police station had explosives and various other things in it, that should have been defended.
Isn't that nice, police refuse to stop the riots, but will arrest you for defending your business...
https://heavy.com/news/2020/05/john-rieple/
Great way to make us support the police.
Gentlemen, thank you for two very well reasoned and articulate posts on the subject. They both posit rational approaches to trying to resolve the issue at hand.
This is how we discuss things here
If they are so unable to enforce the law they abandon their department, then why do they feel like they can go around arresting lawful people left behind in the lawless hellscape they allowed the city to devolve into?
Looks more like a problem with the law itself rather than the enforcement of the law.
Yeah, I don't like the "duty to retreat" law. You know, the more I learn about Minnesota in general the less I like it. I always used to think of it as someplace "wild and free", populated by rugged individualists, like part of the "last frontier" kind of state. Boy was I wrong. It's sounding more and more like the California of the midwest. About on par with Illinois in that regard.
They elected Ilham Omar.... it says much about what Minnesota is like these days.