Watching The Cops
See other Watching The Cops Articles
Title: From Neighborhood Cops to Robocops: The Changing Face of American Police
Source:
Lew Rockwell
URL Source: http://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/01/john-w-whitehead/fedstapo/
Published: Jan 15, 2015
Author: John Whitehead
Post Date: 2015-01-15 05:54:40 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 12901
Comments: 32
“Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards.” ― Aldous Huxley, Ends and Means If 2014 was the year of militarized police, armored tanks, and stop-and-frisk searches, 2015 may well be the year of technologized police, surveillance blimps and scan-and-frisk searches. Just as we witnessed neighborhood cops being transformed into soldier cops, we’re about to see them shapeshift once again, this time into robocops, complete with robotic exoskeletons, super-vision contact lenses, computer-linked visors, and mind-reading helmets. Similarly, just as military equipment created for the battlefield has been deployed on American soil against American citizens, we’re about to see military technology employed here at home in a manner sure to annihilate what’s left of our privacy and Fourth Amendment rights. For instance, with the flick of a switch (and often without your even being aware of the interference), police can now shut down your cell phone, scan your body for “suspicious” items as you walk down the street, test the air in your car for alcohol vapors as you drive down the street, identify you at a glance and run a background check on you for outstanding warrants, piggyback on your surveillance devices to listen in on your conversations and “see” what you see on your private cameras, and track your car’s movements via a GPS-enabled dart. That doesn’t even begin to scrape the surface of what’s coming down the pike, with law enforcement and military agencies boasting technologies so advanced as to render everything up until now mere child’s play. Once these technologies, which used to belong exclusively to the realm of futuristic sci-fi films, have been unleashed on an unsuspecting American public, it will completely change the face of American policing and, in the process, transform the landscape of what we used to call our freedoms. It doesn’t even matter that these technologies can be put to beneficial uses. As we’ve learned the hard way, once the government gets involved, it’s only a matter of time before the harm outweighs the benefits. Imagine, if you will, self-guided “smart” bullets that can track their target as it moves, solar-powered airships that provide persistent wide-area surveillance and tracking of ground “targets,” a grenade launcher that can deliver 14 flash-bang grenade rounds, invisible tanks that can blend into their surroundings and masquerade as a snow bank or a soccer mom’s station wagon, and a guided mortar weapon that can target someone up to 12 miles away. Or what about “less lethal weapons” such as the speech jammer gun, which can render a target tongue-tied; sticky foam guns, which shoot foam that hardens on contact, immobilizing the victim; and shock wave generators, which use the shockwaves from a controlled explosion to knock people over. Now imagine trying to defend yourself against such devices, which are incapable of distinguishing between an enemy combatant and a civilian. For that matter, imagine attempting to defend yourself or your loved ones against police officers made superhuman thanks to technology that renders them bullet-proof, shatter-proof, all-seeing, all-knowing and all-powerful. Does rendering a government agent superhuman make them inhuman, as well, unable to relate to the mass of humanity they are sworn to protect and defend? Pointing out that the clothes people wear can affect how they act, Salon magazine reporter Geordie Mcruer notes that “when clothing has symbolic meaning – such as a uniform that is worn only by a certain profession – it prepares the mind for the pursuit of goals that are consistent with the symbolic meaning of the clothing.” Mcruer continues: When we dress our police officers in camouflage before deploying them to a peaceful protest, the result will be police who think more like soldiers. This likely includes heightening their perception of physical threats, and increasing the likelihood that they react to those threats with violence. Simply put, dressing police up like soldiers potentially changes how they see a situation, changing protesters into enemy combatants, rather than what they are: civilians exercising their democratic rights… When police wear soldiers’ clothing, and hold soldiers’ weapons, it primes them to think and act like soldiers. Furthermore, clothing that conceals their identity – such as the helmets, gas masks, goggles, body armor and riot shields that are now standard-issue for officers at peaceful protests – will increase the likelihood that officers react aggressively to the situation. As a result of the fact that they are also dressed like soldiers, they are more likely to interpret the situation as hostile and will more readily identify violence as the best solution. While robocops are problematic enough, the problem we’re facing is so much greater than technology-enhanced domestic soldiers. As I make clear in my book A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, we’re on the cusp of a major paradigm shift from fascism disguised as a democracy into a technocratic surveillance society in which there are no citizens, only targets. We’re all targets now, to be scanned, surveilled, tracked and treated like blips on a screen. What’s taking place in Maryland right now is a perfect example of this shift. With Congress’ approval and generous funding (and without the consensus of area residents), the Army has just launched two massive, billion dollar surveillance airships into the skies over Baltimore, each airship three times the size of a Goodyear blimp, ostensibly to defend against cruise missile attacks. Government officials claim the surveillance blimps, which provide highly detailed radar imaging within a 340-mile radius, are not presently being used to track individuals or carry out surveillance against citizens, but it’s only a matter of time before that becomes par for the course. In New York, police will soon start employing mobile scanners that allow them to scan people on the street in order to detect any hidden objects under their clothes, whether it be a gun, a knife or anything else that appears “suspicious.” The scanners will also let them carry out enhanced data collection in the field—fingerprints, iris scans, facial mapping—which will build the government’s biometric database that much faster. These scanners are a more mobile version of the low radiation X-ray vans used to scan the contents of passing cars. Google Glass, being considered for use by officers, would allow police to access computer databases, as well as run background checks on and record anyone in their line of sight. One program, funded by $160 million in asset forfeiture funds, would equip police officers and vehicles with biometric smartphones that can scan individuals’ fingerprints and cross check it against criminal databases. The devices will also contain real-time 911 data, warrant information from federal, state and city databases, photographs of missing persons, suspects, Crime Stoppers posters and other persons of interest, and the latest cache of information on terror suspects. Stand-off lasers can detect alcohol vapors in a moving car. “If alcohol vapors are detected in the car, a message with a photo of the car including its license plate is sent to a police officer waiting down the road. Then, the police officer stops the car and checks for signs of alcohol using conventional tests.” Ekin Patrol cameras, described as “the first truly intelligent patrol unit in the world,” can not only detect the speed of passing cars but can generate tickets instantaneously, recognize and store the license plates of stopped, moving or parked vehicles, measure traffic density and violation data and engage in facial recognition of drivers and passengers. Collectively, all of these gizmos, gadgets and surveillance devices render us not just suspects in a surveillance state but also inmates in an electronic concentration camp. As journalist Lynn Stuart Parramore notes: The Information Age … has turned out rather differently than many expected. Instead of information made available for us, the key feature seems to be information collected about us. Rather of granting us anonymity and privacy with which to explore a world of facts and data, our own data is relentlessly and continually collected and monitored. The wondrous things that were supposed to make our lives easier—mobile devices, gmail, Skype, GPS, and Facebook—have become tools to track us, for whatever purposes the trackers decide. We have been happily shopping for the bars to our own prisons, one product at a time. Unfortunately, eager as we are for progress and ill-suited to consider the moral and spiritual ramifications of our planned obsolescence, we have yet to truly fathom what it means to live in an environment in which we are always on red alert, always under observation, and always having our actions measured, judged and found wanting under some law or other intrusive government regulation. There are those who are not at all worried about this impending future, certain that they have nothing to hide. Rest assured, soon we will all have nowhere to hide from the prying eyes of a government bound and determined to not only know everything about us—where we go, what we do, what we say, what we read, what we keep in our pockets, how much money we have on us, how we spend that money, who we know, what we eat and drink, and where we are at any given moment—but prepared to use that information against us, whenever it becomes convenient and profitable to do so. Making the case that we’re being transformed as citizens, neighbors and human beings, Parramore identifies six factors arising from a society in which surveillance becomes the norm: a shift in power dynamics, in which the “watcher” becomes all-seeing and all-powerful; an incentive to turn citizens into outlaws by criminalizing otherwise lawful activities; diminished citizenship; an environment of suspicion and paranoia; a divided society comprised of the watchers and the watched; and “a society of edgy, unhappy beings whose sense of themselves is chronically diminished.” As Parramore rightly concludes, this is “not exactly a recipe for Utopia.”
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Deckard (#0)
There is no recipe for Utopia, so law enforcement always has to stay a step ahead of the criminals. "Some people march to a different drummer — and some people polka."
"If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear", right Willie? Sounds like something right out of the Soviet Union. How You Could Be Committing Three Felonies a Day There are so many laws on the books that ANYONE can be stopped and harassed. When you have a police culture that views itself as soldiers, then it goes without saying that they will view citizens as the enemy,
We have nothing to fear but fear itself... But if it's a choice between criminals or cops, I'd rather take my chances with the cops so I don't have to fear the criminals.
"Some people march to a different drummer — and some people polka."
What do you do when the cops become the criminals?
I make sure my doors are locked at night, and I watch the good cops root out the bad cops on TV.
"Some people march to a different drummer — and some people polka."
There is a newly manifestation of yellow journalism by those who have fear that tends to generate and promote systemic self-sanctioned hatred and brutality against cops. This has become a reproductive issue for them and is hardly newsworthy. But then, any uncontrollable fear and hatred never is.
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends. Paul Craig Roberts promote systemic self-sanctioned hatred and brutality against cops. No one is promoting "hatred and brutality against cops" you pompous windbag. Are you not concerned that the militarization of local police has resulted in less freedom and liberty? Cops should act like cops, not soldiers. But hey - you go right ahead and keep shilling for the police state.
It's a smaller world than it was 50 years ago... In fact, I'll probably sleep easier because I know they wouldn't need all that stuff if they were coming after me anyway. I'm getting way too old to put up any resistance and would surrender peacefully. Then I'd let THEM worry about providing me with food, shelter & my old people meds. LOL! They wouldn't do it because it's not in their budget!
"Some people march to a different drummer — and some people polka."
Hardly noteworthy.
It's just a cry for attention.
Sadly, yes.
Long time, no see. How have you been? Sad news about Sally.
Unfortunately, they are preparing for patriots and constitutionalists. Police: Armored Military Vehicles Needed for ‘Constitutionalists’ with Firearms A Washington state sheriff’s deputy proclaiming that law enforcement officers need armored military vehicles because of “constitutionalists” with firearms.
Gotta go...morning chores.
For some reason, I don't think that's going to stop you two from disrupting any threads. Now that you've got private mail, you can coordinate your attacks.
Some things never change.
I'm going to avoid the rush and bozo you and your troll-buddy early. You two police state shills are a waste of my time. Thank you. That is the best thing to happen to me today. Please make it permanent. Your posting filth is a reflection of your lack of character and integrity.
Well then you better stockpile more MREs and tinfoil hats... "Some people march to a different drummer — and some people polka."
72 Types Of Americans That Are Considered “Potential Terrorists” In Official Government Documents Below is a list of 72 types of Americans that are considered to be “extremists” and “potential terrorists” in official U.S. government documents. To see the original source document for each point, just click on the link. As you can see, this list covers most of the country…
It's an imperfect world, but in our country most law abiding citizens have nothing to fear.
I can live with that.
#2. To: Willie Green (#1)
...but in our country most law abiding citizens have nothing to fear.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
#3. To: Deckard (#2)
"If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear", right Willie?
#4. To: Willie Green (#3)
I'd rather take my chances with the cops so I don't have to fear the criminals.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
#5. To: Deckard (#4)
What do you do when the cops become the criminals?
#6. To: Willie Green (#1)
There is no recipe for Utopia, so law enforcement always has to stay a step ahead of the criminals.
It's an imperfect world, but in our country most law abiding citizens have nothing to fear.
I can live with that.
#7. To: Gatlin, Willie Green (#6)
hardly newsworthy.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
#8. To: Deckard (#7)
Are you not concerned that the militarization of local police has resulted in less freedom and liberty?
I figure local police need to be prepared, just in case they have to take care of some jihadist terrorists like they had in Paris. So as long as they're properly trained as how to use the equipment they have, I'm not gonna lose any sleep over it.
#9. To: Deckard, Willie Green (#7)
Please feel free to ping me when you have something interesting and significant.
As always, your usual diatribe gets old quickly.
#10. To: Gatlin (#9)
Hardly noteworthy.
#11. To: yukon (#10)
Hardly noteworthy.
It's just a cry for attention.
Well, actually...pathetic.
#12. To: Gatlin (#11)
#13. To: Willie Green (#8)
I figure local police need to be prepared, just in case they have to take care of some jihadist terrorists like they had in Paris.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
#14. To: yukon (#12)
You can always post to me on Gatlin’s Personal Page.
It was nice of Stoner to create one just for me.
That way we will not disrupt a thread.
And if you have any really good gossip, use PM.
#15. To: Gatlin, yukon, hondo68 (#14)
It was nice of Stoner to create one just for me. That way we will not disrupt a thread.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
#16. To: Deckard (#15)
I don't think
#17. To: yukon, Gatlin (#16)
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
#18. To: Deckard (#17)
#19. To: Deckard (#13)
Unfortunately, they are preparing for patriots and constitutionalists.
And move out into the wilderness somewhere where all the commotion won't disturb the neighbors.
#20. To: Deckard (#17)
Off is the general direction in which I wish you would fuck.
Not interested in your indecent and decadent proposal.
#21. To: Willie Green (#19)
1. Those that talk about “individual liberties”
2. Those that advocate for states’ rights
3. Those that want “to make the world a better place”
4. “The colonists who sought to free themselves from British rule”
5. Those that are interested in “defeating the Communists”
6. Those that believe “that the interests of one’s own nation are separate from the interests of other nations or the common interest of all nations”
7. Anyone that holds a “political ideology that considers the state to be unnecessary, harmful,or undesirable”
8. Anyone that possesses an “intolerance toward other religions”
9. Those that “take action to fight against the exploitation of the environment and/or animals”
10. “Anti-Gay”
11. “Anti-Immigrant”
12. “Anti-Muslim”
13. “The Patriot Movement”
14. “Opposition to equal rights for gays and lesbians”
15. Members of the Family Research Council
16. Members of the American Family Association
17. Those that believe that Mexico, Canada and the United States “are secretly planning to merge into a European Union-like entity that will be known as the ‘North American Union’”
18. Members of the American Border Patrol/American Patrol
19. Members of the Federation for American Immigration Reform
20. Members of the Tennessee Freedom Coalition
21. Members of the Christian Action Network
22. Anyone that is “opposed to the New World Order”
23. Anyone that is engaged in “conspiracy theorizing”
24. Anyone that is opposed to Agenda 21
25. Anyone that is concerned about FEMA camps
26. Anyone that “fears impending gun control or weapons confiscations”
27. The militia movement
28. The sovereign citizen movement
29. Those that “don’t think they should have to pay taxes”
30. Anyone that “complains about bias”
31. Anyone that “believes in government conspiracies to the point of paranoia”
32. Anyone that “is frustrated with mainstream ideologies”
33. Anyone that “visits extremist websites/blogs”
34. Anyone that “establishes website/blog to display extremist views”
35. Anyone that “attends rallies for extremist causes”
36. Anyone that “exhibits extreme religious intolerance”
37. Anyone that “is personally connected with a grievance”
38. Anyone that “suddenly acquires weapons”
39. Anyone that “organizes protests inspired by extremist ideology”
40. “Militia or unorganized militia”
41. “General right-wing extremist”
42. Citizens that have “bumper stickers” that are patriotic or anti-U.N.
43. Those that refer to an “Army of God”
44. Those that are “fiercely nationalistic (as opposed to universal and international in orientation)”
45. Those that are “anti-global”
46. Those that are “suspicious of centralized federal authority”
47. Those that are “reverent of individual liberty”
48. Those that “believe in conspiracy theories”
49. Those that have “a belief that one’s personal and/or national ‘way of life’ is under attack”
50. Those that possess “a belief in the need to be prepared for an attack either by participating in paramilitary preparations and training or survivalism”
51. Those that would “impose strict religious tenets or laws on society (fundamentalists)”
52. Those that would “insert religion into the political sphere”
53. Anyone that would “seek to politicize religion”
54. Those that have “supported political movements for autonomy”
55. Anyone that is “anti-abortion”
56. Anyone that is “anti-Catholic”
57. Anyone that is “anti-nuclear”
58. “Rightwing extremists”
59. “Returning veterans”
60. Those concerned about “illegal immigration”
61. Those that “believe in the right to bear arms”
62. Anyone that is engaged in “ammunition stockpiling”
63. Anyone that exhibits “fear of Communist regimes”
64. “Anti-abortion activists”
65. Those that are against illegal immigration
66. Those that talk about “the New World Order” in a “derogatory” manner
67. Those that have a negative view of the United Nations
68. Those that are opposed “to the collection of federal income taxes”
69. Those that supported former presidential candidates Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin and Bob Barr
70. Those that display the Gadsden Flag (“Don’t Tread On Me”)
71. Those that believe in “end times” prophecies
72. Evangelical Christians
The groups of people in the list above are considered “problems” that need to be dealt with. In some of the documents referenced above, members of the military are specifically warned not to have anything to do with such groups.
We are moving into a very dangerous time in American history. You can now be considered a “potential terrorist” just because of your religious or political beliefs. Free speech is becoming a thing of the past, and we are rapidly becoming an Orwellian society that is the exact opposite of what our founding fathers intended.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
#22. To: Deckard (#21)
Interesting links. Thanks for sharing.
#23. To: Deckard (#21)
The author of the article is an attorney (yeah, they haven't screwed the American people) and president of the Rutherford Institute. He is described rather harshly in the above linked article.
http://exiledonline.com/rightwin...phobe-attacks-the-exiled/
#24. To: Deckard (#15) (Edited)
Harry the Kitty Fear not, Harry the Kitty will take care of the Canaries.
The D&R terrorists hate us because we're free, to vote second party
"We (government) need to do a lot less, a lot sooner" ~Ron Paul#25. To: Vinny (#23)
Rutherford isn't well liked by the statists and police state cheerleaders who infest this site either. That alone tells me that he's right on the money. Your link goes to a hit piece that is eerily reminiscent of the attacks on Ron Paul when he ran for POTUS.
The author of the article is an attorney (yeah, they haven't screwed the American people) and president of the Rutherford Institute. He is described rather harshly in the above linked article.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state.
They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts #26. To: hondo68 (#24)
Didn't take long for the drooling duo to stink up the joint.
Fear not, Harry the Kitty will take care of the Canaries.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state.
They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts #27. To: Vinny (#23)
Not all of them - there are many like Whitehead who actually defend the Constitution.
The author of the article is an attorney (yeah, they haven't screwed the American people)
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state.
They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts #28. To: Deckard (#25)
He didn't run for president, he collected a lot of money from naive people and then took a swan dive into the lap of the establishment Republican party. He and Rand are frauds.
Your link goes to a hit piece that is eerily reminiscent of the attacks on Ron Paul when he ran for POTUS.
#29. To: Vinny (#28) (Edited)
I agree with you about Rand - he is nothing like his dad. Looks like we have another Ron Paul-hater on the site.
He and Rand are frauds.
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state.
They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts #30. To: Deckard, yukon, hondo68 (#15) (Edited)
You never heard of Email? Email or private mail ... Mox nix! (From the German phrase, "Es macht nichts)!" Don't be jealous because you can't have a Private Home Page showing you are "Top Dog!"
Now that you've got private mail, you can coordinate your attacks.
#31. To: Deckard, Vinny (#29)
Now, whatever gave you that idea? Welcome, Vinny.
Looks like we have another Ron Paul-hater on the site.
#32. To: Gatlin (#31)
Pleasure.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]