These articles from summer 2013 talk about the militarization of local police forces. I’ll never forget a couple of years ago, I was walking through a suburban neighborhood park where I had a plot in a community garden. A cop drove by in a golf cart, not a plain white golf cart, mind you — a camouflage golf cart. Why on earth he needed to be camouflaged was beyond me! The golf cart was clearly made to look like a tank or something but come on: it was a golf cart. I wanted to spray him with my garden hose, but he would probably Tase me, so I didn’t.

Everyone Deserves a SWAT » Postmodern Conservative | A First Things Blog.

“The Department of Homeland Security has handed out $35 billion in grants since its creation in 2002, with much of the money going to purchase military gear such as armored personnel carriers. In 2011 alone, a Pentagon program for bolstering the capabilities of local law enforcement gave away $500 million of equipment, an all-time high” Rise of the Warrior Cop >> The Wall Street Journal