A. Barton Hinkle on Abusive Police Tactics

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Oregon DOT / Foter.com / CC BY

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.