Playboy's article: Unreasonable Search and Seizures

[IANALY]

Dan's 110% right here. SWAT is misused, and paramilitary tactics have no place in daily police operations.

I have great fear that someday a neighbor is going to call the police saying they saw that I have an 'evil gun' and I'll be put in a situation where I have to shoot at a bunch of armed men pouring in my front door.

When I say have to shoot, I mean that I don't have a choice in the situation. A law abiding person should never be required to submit to an invasion of his home by armed thugs, no matter how they label themselves.

The unfortunate thing is that after these incidents, the police always try to find some sort of menial law violation to justify the murder just committed. Smoking of a marijuana joint is not sufficient violation to justify an invasion of someones home, much less an invasion by an essentially military force, yet time and time again that is the justification cited.

And don't saddle me with being anti-cop. I am very pro-law enforcement. Unfortunately, law enforcement officers are lead by beaurocrats and tyrants, both of which have no respect for individual citizens.

[MySQLQuery]

I guess this proves that some people actually DO read the articles in Playboy.

Are you SURE those things have articles?

I don't think I've ever noticed one...

[Redhorse]

The show Dallas Swat--Produced in cooperation with the department, and I'm sure showing only what they want shown concerns me. Sometimes they almost tear down houses, and wind up either not arresting anyone, or with misdemeanor drug charges. If they repair the damage they cause, it is a waste of taxpayer's money. If they don't repair the damage, it is a punishment without due process. Also if they don't repair the damage, they've got no incentive to avoid damage. Just based on that show, SWAT should be

Shows like "COPS" and "SWAT" are merely media propoganda geared toward desensitizing the citizenry to illegal, and unconstitutional actions by our law enforcement entities. I cannot watch those shows because every illegal action taken by the officers makes my BP explode...plus my wife got tired of me screaming at the TV... . There will come a day, when subjects...er..aaaa...citizens will accept these tactics merely because that's what they grew up watching on the television

[musterion]

I did not read the Playboy article. Radley has a longer version of his article on his website--The Agitator. He also has one at the Cato Institute website.

[ScottyPotty]

The SWAT team cost a great deal of money to maintain and train. If they are only used a few times then the money is not worth it.

They gotta keep up with the raids so they seem like they are doing a good effective job keeping the bad guys in check.

Just wait until they come to your door and seize your guns/cigarettes/alcohol/saturated fat or what ever else they deem is not safe.... and its all for the "good of the people" just like Katrina. just like Nazi Germany.

its sad....

[MR D]

the part that I find really disturbing is the "immunity" that these "professionals" recieve after they kick the wrong door and shoot the resident who is awoken by his front door crashing in and gets his gun from the nightstand only to die in his own bed.....

I'm not anti-police either....(dad and older brother as well as several friends are cops....)

Other "professionals" are responsible for their own mistakes e.g. Doctors, lawyers etc...