Stories like this one are becoming more common in the news.  Swatting, or the act of placing a fake phone call from a VoIP hone or internet server to emergency providers indicating that there is a shooting/violent crime/ general mayhem going down at a particular address. Everyone from Politicians to kids playing video games have been surprised to see teams of fully armored, automatic weapon toting law enforcement officers knocking down their doors, causing thousands of dollars of damage and wasting police time and funds chasing down ghost leads with the most militant branches of their organizations.

I want to make something clear before I continue, I have nothing against SWAT teams.  I respect what they do, and recognize that they should be called into the most dire of situations.  What I do have a problem with is the escalating frequency with which they are being sent out to enforce mundane legal activities.

From serving warrants to handling armed 79-year-old ladies the rank and file police duties are quickly getting picked up by SWAT teams across the country.  The horrify notion that the military is selling off extra hardware to police departments doesn’t bode well.  Especially when those same police departments turn around and sell it off to, as the article from the Sacramento Bee puts it, “pad their budgets”.

There is a need for the SWAT teams in cities across America, but there appear to be a greater need for restraint in their deployment.  If the basic assessments are being accomplished, and it is duly warranted that an escalation to a para-military level is required, then by all means send in the SWAT team.  If the department didn’t bother to check the residence or call the house, and proceeded to break down a door, flash-bang innocent civilians, and then physically treat them like common criminals, then, frankly, someone needs to lose their job.