Militarization of the modern American police force

Abstract

Over the last sixty years, American police departments have been defined by their response to crisis. From the devastating nationwide rioting that took place during the late 60s, through the violent upsurge in crime during the 70s and 80s that was marked by the War on Drugs and the War on Crime, to the present-day Black Lives Matter movement, public spotlight has focused on the police. The goal of this paper is to present a historical overview of the evolution of the modern police force, ranging from specific changes to general developments in both strategy and culture. This paper concludes that the most foundational shifts in police behavior, somewhat paradoxically, have been an increase in so-called “militarization” coupled with an increase in accountability.