

Setting federal police standards and certifications can operate to ensure that the warrior culture is replaced with a guardian perspective that prioritizes public safety over militarization. The data clearly show that these programs are not beneficial for public safety. foreign policy that has shaped domestic policy in a negative way.Īs we encounter the 20-year mark of a tragic terrorist attack that changed America and the Middle East forever and led to families losing loved ones, policy makers should critically re-evaluate the benefits or costs (financial and human costs) associated with military equipment programs for law enforcement. It is clear that militarized policing is one indirect effect of U.S. Air Force and was subsequently deployed six times to the Middle East over the coming years.įor those of us who were able to welcome home our loved ones from their military deployments, most of us did not expect their equipment to be in our local police departments and on our neighborhood streets. I remember the call from my God brother, Thomas James, who decided to enlist in U.S. As a Resident Advisor, I recall assisting some of my residents who were called to active duty. I remember watching in shock and dismay as I saw the second plane crash into the Twin Towers in New York City. On September 11, 2001, I was watching Sports Center anchor Stuart Scott in my dorm room at the University of Memphis when he abruptly stopped his commentary to urge viewers to turn it on a local news channel. Even when a person is an American citizen or has a visa, “looking foreign,” particularly Middle Eastern, can have dire consequences as heavy-handed policing tactics often fall on the most marginalized, vulnerable, and exposed. Im mainly leaning towards 11B, but I would like to get as much information about both before I make my final decision.

Additionally, 9/11 has transformed not just what is viewed as a threat but also who is perceived as one. Army What is 19K like (M1 Armor Crewman) So I have decided to join the army, and my choices are split between 11B and 19K. In fact, police are more likely to use force on protesters for racial justice than those aiming to uphold white supremacy. They are also more likely to have SWAT deployed in their neighborhoods. Black people, compared to whites, are disproportionately more likely to be killed by police and experience use of force.

Instead, militarized police departments seem to ultimately harm the reputation of law enforcement.Īnd, these deleterious outcomes are not uniformly distributed to all Americans. Research further documents that more militarized police departments are less likely to prevent crime or make local residents feel safer. Consequently, police departments with more military equipment are more likely to kill civilians. Second, the acquisition of military equipment often yields more deployment of this equipment, even when it is not warranted. This cultural perspective aids in use of force by modifying the type of training tactics used by law enforcement, such as the many chokeholds that are being banned by cities and police departments across the country. First, the “ warrior” culture emerged that often views community members as the enemy. In doing so, universities are aiming to send a message about the juxtaposition between law enforcement and public safety.Īccess to military equipment helped to shift the organizational culture of law enforcement, which altered training and tactics.

In response to some student outcries and protests, some universities have divested from these federal programs. Twitter activists have noted the connection between military equipment and police use of force, particularly during protests focused on racial justice like the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests following the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
