Do Not Resist

[Helena]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.a86562280c62

...The film crew then takes a ride with a small-town sheriff as he drives his hulking new MRAP through business districts and quiet neighborhoods — that is, once he figures out how to operate it. The most disturbing thing about this scene isn’t the truck itself, or the striking images of the truck in the town, or even the sheriff’s statement that it will probably mostly be used for drug raids. The most disturbing thing is that it simply doesn’t occur to the sheriff that the footage might be disturbing. He has no problem letting a film crew show this massive contraption built to withstand roadside bombs in a military convoy lumbering through his small town, because the notion that military vehicles aren’t appropriate for domestic policing is foreign to him.


Then there’s the drug raid. It’s one thing to read about a “dynamic entry” drug raid in which the police mistakenly or intentionally kill someone, or in which someone mistakenly or intentionally kills a police officer. It’s awful and tragic and unnecessary.

“Do Not Resist” doesn’t show one of those. It instead shows the sort of drug raid that’s far more common. The movie depicts the raid from the beginning, as the officers from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department tactical team are meeting to discuss strategy. Some are wearing T-shirts with the tactical team’s logo. It’s a human skull imposed over two crossed AR-15s.
There are no children at the residence, the lead officer assures his colleagues. (There were.) There would be a significant quantity of illegal drugs at the house, another says. (There weren’t.) ... Read More here:https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.a86562280c62

Here are two links to the documentary:

https://www.amazon.com/Do-Not-Resist.../dp/B01MROLPBH
https://play.google.com/store/movies...1HvdPEEk&hl=en

[jimmyz]

The MRAP looks impractical for speedy deployment of the cops once they arrive on scene. A van would be more efficient. At least the municipalities that use them didn't have to pay for the damned things. Dress-up to play soldier much?

[Ethereal]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.a86562280c62

...The film crew then takes a ride with a small-town sheriff as he drives his hulking new MRAP through business districts and quiet neighborhoods — that is, once he figures out how to operate it. The most disturbing thing about this scene isn’t the truck itself, or the striking images of the truck in the town, or even the sheriff’s statement that it will probably mostly be used for drug raids. The most disturbing thing is that it simply doesn’t occur to the sheriff that the footage might be disturbing. He has no problem letting a film crew show this massive contraption built to withstand roadside bombs in a military convoy lumbering through his small town, because the notion that military vehicles aren’t appropriate for domestic policing is foreign to him.


Then there’s the drug raid. It’s one thing to read about a “dynamic entry” drug raid in which the police mistakenly or intentionally kill someone, or in which someone mistakenly or intentionally kills a police officer. It’s awful and tragic and unnecessary.

“Do Not Resist” doesn’t show one of those. It instead shows the sort of drug raid that’s far more common. The movie depicts the raid from the beginning, as the officers from the Richland County Sheriff’s Department tactical team are meeting to discuss strategy. Some are wearing T-shirts with the tactical team’s logo. It’s a human skull imposed over two crossed AR-15s.
There are no children at the residence, the lead officer assures his colleagues. (There were.) There would be a significant quantity of illegal drugs at the house, another says. (There weren’t.) ... Read More here:https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.a86562280c62

Here are two links to the documentary:

https://www.amazon.com/Do-Not-Resist.../dp/B01MROLPBH
https://play.google.com/store/movies...1HvdPEEk&hl=en

Police forces in America have become literal armies of occupation, only without the intense training and indoctrination that actual armies receive.

So not only are they aggressive and violent, they are also incompetent. A more dangerous combination would be difficult to name.

[Ethereal]

The MRAP looks impractical for speedy deployment of the cops once they arrive on scene. A van would be more efficient. At least the municipalities that use them didn't have to pay for the damned things. Dress-up to play soldier much?

But they do have to pay to maintain and insure them. And given their general uselessness in a civilian/peacetime context, the acquisition of this "free" equipment results in a large net loss for taxpayers.

[Dr. Who]

From the same link: So after a futile search -

"Finally, someone finds a book bag with traces of marijuana at the bottom — not enough to smoke, much less sell. They arrest a young black man with long braids for possession.


I never one time said you’re a bad person,” the lead officer tells his arrestee, with an odd cordiality. “I just have a job to do, and you happen to be in the middle of it.”

The officer also seems to know that the man is a student at a local technical college. He’s working toward a degree in construction. The man also runs a landscaping company to help pay for his education. The man later tells the officer that he was on his way to pick up some lawnmowers that morning. Knowing that he’s about to be arrested, he asks the officer if he could tell his employee that he was arrested and won’t be able to pick up the lawnmowers. He then gives the officer $876 in cash and asks it to give it to his employee to go pick up the mowers, along with a weed-eater.
Instead, the officer confiscates the money under civil asset forfeiture laws. There is no obvious connection between the money and the pot residue. The man volunteered the cash, mostly because he didn’t want his arrest to hurt his business. In doing so, he provided ample evidence that the cash had nothing to do with illegal activity. Still, if unchallenged, the $876 will go back to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, even if the man is never charged with a crime. The cost of hiring an attorney for such a challenge would likely exceed $876."


So because the Sheriff went off on a wild goose chase with defective intel some poor guy doing everything right needs to take his hard earned money to pay to defend himself on a bogus charge. Shameful.

[Peter1469]

But they do have to pay to maintain and insure them. And given their general uselessness in a civilian/peacetime context, the acquisition of this "free" equipment results in a large net loss for taxpayers.

Yes ago there were several parked outside of ICE's DC offices. Looked strange in our nation's capitol.

[Ethereal]

Yes ago there were several parked outside of ICE's DC offices. Looked strange in our nation's capitol.

They're there just in case the government decides to ratchet up the tyranny. And the drug war is sort of like their practice run.

[Captdon]

Police forces in America have become literal armies of occupation, only without the intense training and indoctrination that actual armies receive.

So not only are they aggressive and violent, they are also incompetent. A more dangerous combination would be difficult to name.

You are ranting fool.