Ga. police with military equipment
April 30, 2007 at 10:29 am by Andisheh Nouraee in News“It gives us a capacity that as a small agency we normally wouldn’t have,” said Pelham Police Chief Nealie McCormick. His South Georgia agency of 14 full-time officers and eight reservists has received M-16 rifles, camouflage uniforms, night-vision devices and generators.
The quotation is from a crappy AJC story describing how the Pentagon gives leftover military hardware to local police. The equipment is given to police for “Homeland Security” and “War On Drugs” operations.
The repeater reporter quotes five people who think the program is a good idea, but doesn’t even hint at, let alone quote somebody who thinks otherwise.
There are plenty of people, from all corners of the political universe, who don’t jump for joy at the thought of local police with military weapons. Libertarian think tank The Cato Institute published a paper last year on the increasing number of botched military-style raids carried out by local police departments. I’m offering it as an example of the type of dissenting viewpoint the AJC might have tried to include in its story.
In the meantime, I’ll sleep much better knowing that Pelham (pop. 4,000-ish) now has the firepower to defend its Huddle House against al-Qaeda.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:09 pm
“The repeater reporter quotes five people who think the program is a good idea, but doesn’t even hint at, let alone quote somebody who thinks otherwise.”
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This is because anybody with common sense agrees that it IS a good idea. Our police should have the best equipment available to them. Are you not aware of the rise of illegal alien street gangs? Of course leftists like you probably want the criminals to have these weapons instead (courtesy of tax dollars of course) so that they can have a fighting chance against the evil bad police department.
“There are plenty of people, from all corners of the political universe, who don’t jump for joy at the thought of local police with military weapons. ”
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Really? Like whom? Besides Democrats that always stick up for the criminals and berate our police.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Do the Libertarians at Cato count as Democrats?
My obvious and undying affection for “illegal alien street gangs” aside, I was under the impression that making the government smaller and less powerful is a core-belief of conservatives.
Change of subject — gimme a call, NRB. Let’s go to lunch.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Smaller government, yes. A less powerful military/police force..no. If we’re going to import all these criminal immigrants, we damn well better make sure our police can deal with them.
Mmmm lunch. I hear Strip at Atlantic Station is good.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:51 pm
I’m not a fan of the Strip-Prime-Twist-Shout Restaurant Empire. Too much gimmick, not enough food.
I’m serious though. Call or e-mail.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:03 pm
Dude no McDonald’s though..got food poisoning TWICE from that dump.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:15 pm
McDeal.