Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon (D) said Friday that the “militarization” of local law enforcement created a less safe environment for protesters in Ferguson, where the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager by police had outraged the community over the past week.
“We’ve seen here a situation in which that militarization caused exactly the opposite reaction, in my view, as to what it normally should,” Nixon said in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “Instead of bringing safety, it brought less safety in this situation because people felt diminished and felt controlled in their own community. I think this is a very clear example of how the proper force strength is important, and I do think we’ve seen a significant trend towards militarization which, if not used correctly with these forces, can have troublesome reactions.”
As TPM has pointed out, both the Ferguson and the St. Louis county police departments have received equipment from the U.S. military. Nixon acknowledged that law enforcement must be equipped to meet potential challenges from individuals with high-powered weapons, but said that need shouldn’t supersede police forces’ responsibility to their communities.
“Having MRAPs rolling up and down the middle of streets in the middle of protests is not going to calm people,” he said. “It’s not going to help get to the healing place where folks’ voices can be heard and safety managed.”
A number of elected officials, from Missouri’s own Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) to Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), sharply criticized the local police response to protesters in Ferguson and raised calls to “de-militarize the police.”
Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) on Thursday also proposed legislation, the Stop Militarizing Law Enforcement Act, that would prevent the transfer of some miltary-grade equipment to local law enforcement agencies from the Department of Defense.
“We’ve seen here a situation in which that militarization caused exactly the opposite reaction, in my view, as to what it normally should”
Um…no. It caused the opposite reaction from what you wanted, not what you should expect from it.
And, unsurprisingly, no actual suggestion as to what to do about it. I’m sure Nixon will be right on it.
Militarization did NOT cause the unrest in Ferguson. Years of abuse by police and the murder of a black child is what caused this powder keg to finally blow. You can take away the tanks and camo but if you don’t change the way the department conducts itself then nothing is going to change. Cops will and should continue to carry guns, they’ll still have their billy clubs and fists. They’ll still have the ability to intimidate the community, they’ll still have the ability to harass, hurt, and deny residents basic human rights. Taking away their MRAPs isn’t going to solve that. Until they deal with the systemic abuse and the plantation overseer mindset within the department absolutely nothing will change.
I’d like to see this militarization called what it is: CORPORATE WELFARE! Our tiny local PD just got a free vehicle, which had cost us taxpayers almost $800,000. This is a ridiculous waste of our money and it only happens because of kickbacks. Family and child welfare gets almost no support-my high school football player has had 2 charges to us as parents, for $275, and has had to do TWO football fundraisers in addition-and just the binders and pencils etc we had to buy for 2 students cost $90.
But it will reduce the escalating riots and unfortunate pictures coming from the scene.
And certainly, that’s what the politicians actually care about in this situation.
Exactly! It seems the reason Ferguson got any attention at all was because of the military-style weapons and tactics. Removing them doesn’t change a thing except the negative image of the Ferguson PD.