President's Task Force on Twenty-First-Century Policing

Abstract

In a democratic society, police officers are utilized to prevent social upheaval, decrease crime, and protect citizens while also acknowledging their freedoms. Officers must find this balance so that they do not appear to be an occupying force. Over time, criminals have begun using much more lethal weapons. To combat these higher-capacity weapons used by criminals, law enforcement had to adapt by obtaining more advanced equipment and training. 1 However, civilian police officers obtaining and using military-type equipment has become a polarizing subject in today's society. As a result, many are afraid that this will cause the police to become more militarized, which may result in a more unclear distinction between the military and the police. 2 Kara Dansky asserts that there are four fundamental elements of police militarization: the institution of the 1033 program, which was implemented in the 1990s, in order to provide military equipment to local law enforcement organizations. In addition, it also provided federal funding to local governments for the purchase of military-type weapons from the private industry; the utilization of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) by federal law enforcement, the utilization of SWAT by local law enforcement, and the culture in law enforcement that centers on fear and control instead of equality and safety within the community. 3