Footage from the protests following the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, has shocked many viewers. The scenes of a police sniper on a rooftop, armored vehicles and officers with cannons and assault rifles look like images of international unrest. Domestic police forces nationwide are increasingly adding more firepower, military gear and military tactics, which supporters say helps protect both police and communities. But critics say increased militarization puts everyone in more danger.
Local Police Forces Becoming Increasingly Militarized
(Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Guests:
Rich Roberts, public information officer for the International Union of Police Associations
Kara Dansky, senior counsel for the ACLU Center for Justice, and author of the ACLU report, "War at Home: The Excessive Militarization of American Policing"
Jeremy Kohler, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter
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