Op- Ed Militarization of the Police

The militarization of the police has taken on a great deal of scrutiny over the past couple years. The militarization of the police started in the 1960's and has slowly grown since. We can see the major changes in the ideology of the police by examining the police's actions during the war on drugs in the 1970's and the war on terror in the early 2000's. Different programs such as the 1033 program also increase the weaponry and gear that the police have acquired.
Knowing the police's history, my group and I have examined the different ways in which the Sonoma County police have militarized over the years. Our group has specifically looked at the types of weapons, gear, training, and technology that the police have gained through different programs. By examining this, we question if the police have in fact, gone to far and need to reexamine their programs and methods of policing.
I personally believe that we need to reestablish community based policing and stop the military grade weapons from going to our officers. More often than not, military grade weapons end up doing more harm than good. It is important to realize that these officers are not fighting a war in this country. They are simply supposed to maintain order within our streets.