Tactical gear?

Johnmuratore

Johnmuratore

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I live in a small town of roughly 2200 souls. One main street with a couple of pizza joints, a post office and one gas station.
I've noticed that our city police now dress in tactical gear. Black, with boots and bloused pants; most, if not all, have shaved heads.
Please don't get me wrong, I am a strong supporter of law enforcement in all aspects of their work and I understand the current challenges due to the publicity shotgunned any time a suspicion of wrong doing is "uncovered". Officer safety is obviously most important, but image is important too, isn't it?
I remember when I was a kid, my parents repeatedly telling me that the police were my friends and protectors and not someone to be afraid of. Are we sending a different message now?
 
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Seems to be a trend. Basically establishes a face on the concept of "police presence".... Unfortunately, I think the days of the "friendly neighborhood police officer" are about as dated as Andy and Barney.......
 
Saw a thread here a while back regarding gov't grant money going to LPD's every where for tactical gear, equipment, even arms and vehicles.
Can't blame the locals for taking advantage of the additional funds, just seems the vibe gets more serious with the donning of the gear.
 
I live in an upscale "burb of the burgh"..... about 18,000 residents and a 20 man police dept.

Each cruiser has a racked shotgun and AR between the front seats....I think I would have opted for a lower profile..... trunk or ceiling racks.

Boots vs. spited shined shoes..... makes sense to me.... bloused pants..... seems a bit much.......

All for the baseball cap thing....:D

But more important I'd guess 95% of the folks who live here have never interacted with the officers. Except for the 4th of July.... there is little opportunity for the citizens/police to interact........ well except for traffic stops.

I serve on a Twp. Board...... so I've met a lot of the officers when they drop off stuff at the house.....always try to spend a few minutes shooting the bull........ heck one of the Sargent's Dad worked for my Dad on another Police Dept. across town. "Worked" with a few at some local public events.....

I worry about the disconnect between the police and the citizens......I think we've seen the results play out over the past couple of years.
 
sheeesh, folks are now concerned/afraid of how police dress or choose to cut their hair. :rolleyes:

Maybe the police should wear clown clothes and have "Bozo" hair cuts!!

Don
 
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If you guys hate how they look now, wait until the future!

latest
 
Law enforcement is expected to be adaptable. One moment they're writing a traffic ticket, the next minute they're in a firefight against jihadists with AKs and pipe bombs. Don't think I'll fuss much about the pants they wear.
 
I think that unfortunately, this is merely a sign of the times. Back in the day, when a James Dean look-a-like was stealing a car, it was fine for Andy and Barney to pull him over and threaten to tell his "pop".

Now a days, as someone else posted, you may be pulling over a car full of drugged out gang bangers carrying semi autos in their waistband and MP 5's under their arm.

Law enforcement must change with the times and quite honestly, I don't care if they drive around in half tracks as long as they keep the riff raff away from my front door.

Of course, once they come through my door, I will greet them in my black boots, black bloused multi-pocket pants, vest with 10 20 round magazines and black AR-15. I do wear a baseball cap but haven't shaved my head yet. Of course, time is taking care of that for me and probably in a few years there will be no need to shave my head. ;)
 
Things change.

There was a time when the police communicated with their headquarters after they spotted the light on at their call box.

I started out in 1971 with a S&W model 15 in a black swivel holster with a thin strap to hold it in. Now, weapons are more secure in the holsters.

Ever try flying a helicopter with a firearm in a Dan Jordan holster?

A shotgun in the trunk can be fairly worthless, too. And there were many times in my 25 years that I wished I had an AR15 in a rack next to me.

Things change.
 
lonejacklarry said:
Things change.


A shotgun in the trunk can be fairly worthless, too. And there were many times in my 25 years that I wished I had an AR15 in a rack next to me.

Things change.
Click to expand...

Sure.....all I was saying is given the nature of our community I'd have chosen a lower profile on how they were carried.

Trying to recall the setup ....... but remember thinking with all the radios/computer etc. in the front........ deploying either would not be quick...... trunk may be faster......or ceiling mount.... course that's a head room issue............
 
A black target is slower to acquire and a shaved head is cooler in the summer. As long as they're there and working in the interest of public safety, I wouldn't be concerned about their appearance.
 
My last interaction with the police was more than 20 years ago, other than our Chief, who is a friend. It just seems as though when they do details at our local lake, people are reluctant to approach.
It was simply an observation on my part and I have no problem with them protecting themselves in any way they deem necessary.
 
While I am not a fan of Field Marshall Montgomery, I nevertheless offer an excerpt from his memoir in which he recounts a postwar inspection trip to Palestine:

"The Palestine police force was armed to the teeth...it was a bad imitation of the Army--and it that role its personnel could never be any better than third-rate soldiers. It was able to carry out the duties neither of a normal police force nor of a normal army."
 
Johnmuratore said:
My last interaction with the police was more than 20 years ago, other than our Chief, who is a friend. It just seems as though when they do details at our local lake, people are reluctant to approach.
It was simply an observation on my part and I have no problem with them protecting themselves in any way they deem necessary.
Click to expand...

In a town of 2200, doesn't most everyone know each other, including your personal friend the Chief and those he hires?
Where is all this fear coming from?
 
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