Delaware State Police in the 60s
Delaware State Police in the 60s
Just a dog chauffeur that used to hold the dumb end of the leash.
If this was the 1930s, they would have already machinegunned the crowd. They were pretty quick to go weapons-free on commies or black folk back in the day, and if somebody was black and a commie? Well, shucks, Bill o' Rights weren't meant to apply to people like that!
Yeah - there were the turn outs with tommy guns, etc. Maybe I'm just being influenced by the media. I just remember as a kid, not seeing an officer with tons of gear around their waists.
On the other hand, in the original King Kong - they called out the Riot Squad with Thompsons.
Saps and brass knuckles took up less space than a taser and OC canister.Originally Posted by Glenn E. Meyer
This is the part that drives me crazy. I do carry a ton of gear on my waist. Except for the portable radio that didn't exist back in the day, everything extra I'm carrying consist of non-lethal tools, designed to minimize harm to subjects who resist. The other extra stuff is a small, powerful flashlight and a pair of gloves so that I can render aid without fears of getting sick myself.
We have added stuff that genuinely makes people safer but it is perceived negatively. Do we really want cops walking around with just a pistol, some reloads, and wooden stick?
- It's not the odds, it's the stakes.
- If you aren't dry practicing every week, you're not serious.....
- "Tache-Psyche Effect - a polite way of saying 'You suck.' " - GG
You just described my load out when I started in Law Enforcement in 1978. S&W Model 27, 18 rounds 158 FMJ RN .38 Special, straight baton and one pair of cuffs. Just looked and I still have 6 rounds of that ammo left.
The first indication a bad guy should have that I'm dangerous is when his
disembodied soul is looking down at his own corpse wondering what happened.
I think Irish hit the nail on the head with regards to information access. While there were definitely Elliot Ness' running around with Tommy Guns the general public still associated police with the guy walking the beat in his neighborhood. The guy who maybe helped his wife with the groceries or played ball with his kid. Whether fact based or not the perception of the police was different then than now. Today we have a very limited source of information; yet at the same time it saturates the airwaves 24/7/365. Basically we have the view point of a few editors/producers that makes it out to EVERYONE all the time over and over and over. That type of indoctrination changes people perceptions pretty effectively. Couple that droning news message with a society who simply doesn't care or know how to actually discern fact from opinion and you can screw with people's minds jiffy quick.
IMO the equipment is but a single overt symptom of the problem. Having grown up in a true police state I can 100% tell you that equipment don't matter. The LEO in Romania didn't go around with AK's and armor and MRAP's. They had a Makarov (maybe some walked around with empty holsters) in a wooden holster, a billy club and a whistle. No comms. The AK's were handled by the local military who every once in a while came out to handle something the cops couldn't. I only heard stories of their presence; never witnessed them out in force thank God. Even with those simple implements the police and government were truly oppressive. The LEO never lived in the community they policed so they never had to face the music or get to know anyone. Hard to "arrest" your neighbors daughter so she can service the local politburo members needs if you actually gave a shit about her and her family. Because there was no attachment to the community the LEO were arrogant asses who not only considered themselves above the mere "civilians"; but in fact they were a protected class. They could do no wrong. Even if they stepped on their dicks and decided to jump up and down on it they weren't wrong. The only way they got in trouble was to mess with the wrong person, mostly politburo members or informants... They got preferential treatment for food, housing, cars. They were exempt for laws the rest had to deal with. Additionally, they considered everyone else guilty of something till they proved otherwise; so basically everyone was treated like shit and looked down upon. Im sure there are a million other things I missed, but there are my experiences.
Fast forward to the USA in 2014.
Everyone refers to non LEO as civilians when in fact both LEO and non LEO are civilians.
LEO are exempt from certain laws.
LEO higher ups are often actively supportive of laws that strip citizens rights (no AR's, no mags over 10 RDS...)
LEO higher ups ignore laws (HPD statement that they will confiscate guns in cars even though laws changed allowing for people to have loaded guns in cars; stop recording what we do...)
LEO wrong doings covered by immunity claims.
LEO isolated from community.
The parallels are striking. Now a lot of those parallels are perception based that could be changed with some good PR, but some aren't.
Focusing on the equipment side is like treating a heart attack with pain killers and claiming you've solved the problem.
This is off topic a touch but I've seen different kinds of mag pouch positions - horizontal vs. vertical. I have an officer on the campus force who is a friend - the other day, I notice his mag was rounds pointed backwards. Since that isn't what I learned, I asked why and he said no one ever brought up the issue. Sorry to divert. I feel that way as a FOG - should I put on the Surefire, Glock, mags, knife, bug, cell phone, OC or just go out the door with the keys and the snubby.
I'm not sure what that question has to do with anything or the price of tea in China.
Don't worry too much what others use to do their job, or look at them to decide what it is that you need.
I think it boils down to individual training level of the officer. It's no secret that many LE need more training, just like most CCW holders.
#RESIST
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