Twenty years after 9/11, weaponry and surveillance gear originally developed for the military have become commonplace in police departments around the country.
Every time cops denounce reform efforts it is evidence of a win.
The study comes as House Democrats press to completely abolish the Pentagon program.
Unfortunately, qualified immunity remains intact.
A report cites his "anti-government," "anti-police" ideology as an impetus for the fatal no-knock raid.
The Bay State finally creates a police certification system.
The case for legally constraining what police departments can do with robots.
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Heavy-handed police raids are trampling on the basic rights of all Americans.
That includes 1,114 armored personnel carriers.
"When you're conditioned to believe that every person...poses a threat to your existence, you simply cannot be expected to build out meaningful relationships."
The Washington Post's Radley Balko was a pioneer in reporting on the disastrous consequences of police militarization and the need for criminal justice reform. Now everyone else is catching up.
Nashville officers tried to smooth things over with groceries. A traumatized Azaria Hines says what she really needs is "a peace of mind."
The Secret Service wanted the helicopter to deploy a "fast ropes" commando team if necessary.
Getting government officials to put their packs of enforcers on shorter leashes is the definition of an uphill battle.
President Trump sent federal agents to squash protests, but the situation has continuously escalated.
Nor did the suspect live at the residence.
Government agents brutalizing people are in the wrong, whether or not we sympathize with those on the receiving end.
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The line between peace officer and soldier of war has become far too blurry.
"A lot of people think that law enforcement must be provided by a [government] monopoly," says economist Edward Stringham. But "there are plenty of private examples of people working to create order and safety in society."
The Hawaii senator fails to fully consider the causes of bad policing.
Trump and other White House officials say the feds may soon be coming to other major cities as well.
The Reason Roundtable talks Portland, policing, federalism, coronavirus, and the perennially dumb discourse.
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The ACLU of Oregon says it's the first of many lawsuits regarding the Trump administration's deployment of federal law enforcement to Portland.
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It's been nearly four months since a Maryland SWAT team killed Duncan Lemp, and there's been no transparency.
The problem isn’t just that cops look like occupying soldiers, it’s that too many think and act like them.
Everybody is talking about changing law enforcement, but not all proposals are equally worthy—or serious.
Police strategies have changed dramatically in the past few decades—and not because of soaring crime. America's War on Drugs is a prime culprit.
How to stop police killings and enact real, lasting reforms.
Leave people room to experiment with approaches to protecting life, liberty, and property.
Videos of police abuse haven't stopped police brutality. But they've helped build a consensus for police reform.
America has survived worse in terms of urban unrest. But that's not necessarily reason for optimism.
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Police brutality brought Americans into the streets. What would military force do?
The president has said he's willing to deploy active-duty military personnel to cities and states that aren't doing enough to crackdown on street violence.
Pro-democracy legislator Charles Mok explains what China's new national security law means for dissidents and the future of the city.
Biden voted for the 1997 bill that created the Pentagon's 1033 program, which allows surplus military gear to be passed along to local cops. It took 23 years, but he finally changed his opinion.
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The Reason Roundtable talks riots, police, protesters, policies, and more.
Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Cotton is asking the military to commit war crimes against American citizens. Trump approves!
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Aggressive police tactics are likely to worsen the situation.
At this point, police can hardly be surprised when they are mistaken for armed criminals.