A. Barton Hinkle on Abusive Police Tactics
In recent years police departments have widely adopted military tactics, military equipment (armored personnel carriers, flashbang grenades), and, sometimes, the mindset of military conquerors rather than domestic peace-keepers. Meanwhile, civilians are regularly subject to criminal prosecution for non-criminal acts—including exercising the constitutionally protected right to free speech. A. Barton Hinkle surveys the depressing state of our domestic union, where the government increasingly treats the citizenry like criminals.