WHY THE SWAT TEAM WEARS BLACK MASKS AND OTHER IMPORTANT RUMMINATIONS

Another letter to a City Council regarding the need for SWAT teams:


Dear City Council Members,


The following excellent article was written by Darryl Eberhart, Editor of “Tackling Tough Topics” and is submitted for your edification and consideration. This article yet again leads to the question of why do we need a SWAT team in our City? What are the cost benefits of having and maintaining it, etc.? You know, the questions that nobody can or will answer……..

When reading, keep in mind that the SWAT warrants issued in our city are typically based upon “informants” (i.e. people who got busted and are currying favor with the Police) and are rife with pages of inane boiler plate such as: (note - below, actual examples of the “probable causes” typically listed in our City’s warrants are emphasized in bold letter’s and words such as “[person]” substituted for “drug trafficker”.)

“That drug traffickers [persons] maintain books, records receipts, notes, ledgers, airline tickets, money orders and other negotiable instruments, hotel receipts, and other papers relating to the transportation, ordering, sale and distribution [of their legal home business]of controlled substances, and that these books, records, receipts, etc. are maintained where [persons] drug traffickers have ready access to them”.



“Those drug traffickers commonly [persons] maintain addresses and/or telephone numbers of their associates in the trafficking organization. That these records are often kept in computers for ready access.”



“That [persons] drug traffickers take or cause to be taken photographs and videos of themselves, their property, [their children and loved ones] and their product. That the drug trafficker [persons] usually maintains these photographs.”



As anybody with half a brain can see they are not probable causes – everybody does these things. Yet our SWAT team uses such nonsense as the above to justify “no-knock” raids on citizens houses. Makes interesting news and sure to raise 4th amendment issues in a Federal Court and with juries – don’t you think?

It is probably a good idea when trying to figure out the cost of maintaining a SWAT team to recognize that the cost involved can include those derived from Federal Lawsuits against the police department, the City etc. (as entities and for the personnel involved - personally and professionally – of course).

The sole purpose of these notes is to again ask you to consider the need for a SWAT team in our City and if there is a need – to publicly justify that need with a valid cost benefit study.

Respectfully,

Nick


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From “Tackling Tough Topics”

“This issue is dedicated to courageous, honest police officers (i.e., peace officers) all across America who "protect and serve" in their local community WITHOUT trampling upon the God-given, Constitutional RIGHTS of the American citizens. It is also dedicated to retired police officer Jack McLamb, to his outstanding periodical "Aid & Abet Police & Military Newsletter", and to his great book Operation Vampire Killer 2000.All emphasis throughout this newsletter, unless otherwise noted, is by the editor of "Tackling the Tough Topics (TTT)", Darryl Eberhart.

HERE ARE SOME RELEVANT QUOTES:

"I have a confession to make, as a professional soldier: I don’t like SWAT teams. I don’t like the concept of SWAT teams. I don’t like the way SWAT teams are deployed. And, having trained many SWAT team members, I don’t like very many of the ‘men’ in the SWAT teams either. Nothing personal you understand, I just have a low tolerance for cowards who brutalize and terrorize people and pretend that it makes them some sort of hero. While I realize that there are some exceptions to this (you know who you are), by and large SWAT teams are populated with authoritarian cowards, sociopaths, thugs, goons, and other human refuse."

"SWAT teams usually deploy with tremendous odds assuring the success and safety of the officers involved, but also creating a climate of fear, intimidation, hostility, and danger for the innocent-until-proven-guilty suspects. Too often, the SWAT team instead becomes judge, jury and executioner. …SWAT teams only like to ‘play’ when they are assured of an easy victory. When was the last time you ever heard of the SWAT teams taking on the Hells Angels? Usually we read about them taking out some innocent and elderly citizen instead.

*(Nick’s note: such as Kathryn Johnston in Atlanta – to this day we have not been able to uncover the actual number of bullets fired at Ms. Johnston – killing her instantly. Estimates run as high as over 100 shots fired. Or Sean Bell in New York – where over 50 shots were fired into the car of 3 unarmed men, killing Mr. Bell on his wedding day)*

SWAT teams are deployed to kill and destroy, which is not the mission of the police department. …The goal of the military is to kill and destroy, something that is in direct contradiction to the stated mission of the police department to ‘protect and serve’. Because of this, SWAT teams tend to attract police officers who are tired of protecting and serving and want to kick some tail…"

"SWAT teams also get military training and afford the sociopaths who apply the opportunity to pretend they are warriors which they are not. Warriors fight other warriors; cowards and thugs attack civilians. SWAT teams afford the cowardly or unqualified the opportunity to live out their Walter Mitty fantasies of military conquest, glory and heroism; all without having to take significant risks or suffer the personal hardship involved with being a real soldier."

– Al Lorentz, former Marine sniper; former Airborne Ranger in the Texas National Guard



And of course:

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall NOT be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States

*(Nick’s note: So personal and legal property taken by a SWAT team from a person who is not the subject of a warrant – constitutes theft by a SWAT team and is in direct violation of the 4th amendment)*



I. Introduction

The first three quotes used in this issue of "Tackling the Tough Topics (TTT)" were taken from an excellent editorial entitled "Police State: SWAT Teams and Toy Soldiers" by Al Lorentz (former Marine sniper & former Airborne Ranger in the Texas National Guard). His editorial can still be read in its entirety by visiting the great web site: prisonplanet.com and "clicking" on Al Lorentz. Editor of TTT most highly recommends you read this editorial, and that you also check out some of the other great news analysis on prisonplanet.com and on infowars.com.

Editor of TTT, a 20-year military veteran, wholeheartedly agrees with the editorial written by Al Lorentz.

II. Those ‘Good Ole Days"

In the America of the 1940s and 1950s we did not have "hordes" of armed federal agents or SWAT teams roaming the countryside shooting up the citizens. Yes, there were some armed federal agents, and they did from time to time actually shoot up some legitimate "bad guys".

We definitely seemed to have a different "mentality" in America back in the 1940s and 1950s about "law enforcement". Most police work was handled at the local level. If the local police needed assistance, it would generally be provided by the local sheriff and his deputies or by other police departments in the local area. Sometimes the State Police would assist the local police. But generally, most incidents of violent crime and potentially-violent situations were handled by the local police or the County Sheriff’s Department (with a few exceptions).

If a genuine "bad guy" needed to be apprehended, several police officers, or sheriff deputies, or a constable would arrest the "bad guy" without shooting up the neighborhood. Most arrests on individuals for whom a warrant had been issued were generally not made at 2 or 3 A.M. in the morning. The "bad guy’s" home generally did not become a "battle zone" since the local police and sheriff deputies would not have dreamed of doing a military-style assault on a citizen’s home in the middle of the night or early morning hours that would endanger the citizen’s spouse and/or children (or the citizen’s neighbors).



Also, local police generally did good "detective" work in order to arrest the "bad guy" in such a manner as to NOT recklessly endanger other citizens. Sadly, this has all radically CHANGED – and NOT for the good!

*(Nick’s note: SWAT teams don’t use the term “bad guys” they use cool terms for the (“innocent until proven guilty”) citizens such as “TANGO” and they have all sorts of cool hand signals like we used to use when playing army as kids).*
III. Dynamic Entry & Black Ski Masks

Somewhere in the late 60s SWAT teams started appearing in large metropolitan areas in the USA. Significant changes in some "police duties" were introduced. The motto to "protect and serve" started to recede somewhat, and the "militarization" of a portion of America’s police departments began in earnest. Certain segments of large police departments began to train as – and look like – paramilitary units! These "specialized" police units began training in such tactics and operations as: sniper training, dynamic entry (of buildings), crowd control, and later – gun confiscation.

Originally, these "militarized" police units were only supposed to be used for hostage rescue situations. Hostage rescue teams (HRT) were formed in some cities. Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) teams were also formed. These SWAT teams were issued military-style assault rifles, sniper rifles, tactical shotguns, body armor, military helmets, gas masks, flash grenades, jack boots, black ski masks, and sometimes even armored personnel carriers.

Editor of TTT would like to say a few words about "black ski masks" and black uniforms. These black ski masks were issued to SWAT team members to supposedly "protect their identities" from drug dealers, etc. Sadly, the black ski masks also conceal the identity of these SWAT team members from innocent citizens they far too often abuse. SWAT team members have had a bad reputation for killing innocent-until-proven-guilty American citizens – thus the "concealed identity" often comes in quite handy.

Editor of TTT learned both the Russian and the Arabic languages while in the U.S. military, and knows a little about the "international terrorist" business. And let me tell you who was wearing the "black ski masks" back in the 1970s – it was the "terrorists"! (Anyone remember the Munich Olympics in 1972, and the Arab terrorists who wore ski masks?) Of course, there were bank robbers who also wore ski masks! So, in the "good ole days", the bad guys (the criminals and terrorists) wore ski masks, and the good guys did NOT.

Also, black uniforms are supposed to "intimidate". Anybody remember the color of the infamous German SS soldiers – why, it was BLACK. So why do these SWAT teams dress in black uniforms, wear black ski masks, and often wear helmets that closely resemble the German Army helmets of World War II? And just who are these SWAT teams trying to intimidate?

When the Nazi SA and SS goons went to arrest citizens in Germany, they at least knocked on the door first. Here in the USA, the SWAT team shows up at 2 A.M. or 3 A.M. or 4 A.M. with overwhelming firepower, with flash bang grenades, etc., and they do NOT knock! Instead, they "kick in" the door (or, they use a battering ram) and charge into the house creating an extremely dangerous situation! Why? Because if anyone or anything moves, such as the family dog or cat, SWAT team members far too often start "blazing away" with a whole lot of firepower! The results are often a dead or wounded spouse, a dead or wounded child, a dead or wounded pet, and even sometimes a dead or wounded fellow SWAT team member! Possibly worst of all, SWAT teams sometimes go to the wrong address, or their "informant" has lied to them, and so they burst into a home and MURDER innocent American citizens! These killings by SWAT teams have happened so frequently that some large metropolitan areas were forced to disband their SWAT teams. (Did you know that the main cause of death for SWAT team members is "friendly fire" from fellow SWAT team members?)

*(Nick’s note: Christopher D. Pongratz, ERT Supervisor, Auburn Police Department personally confirmed to me that for SWAT teams “an increasing trend is more and more officers are being shot by other officers. There have been several articles in various law enforcement publications in which officers have been shot by other officers “)*

Alex Jones, syndicated radio & TV talk show host has documented many of these SWAT team atrocities on his "Alex Jones’ Show" that airs over short wave, internet, satellite, and on AM & FM radio stations. He had also documented some of these SWAT team atrocities in his excellent "Police State" videos. Editor of TTT most highly recommends that you visit Alex Jones’ web site at infowars.com for information on the subject of SWAT teams and the emerging police state here in America; for information on Alex Jones’ outstanding video tapes; and for broadcast information on the "Alex Jones’ Show". Please also visit www.prisonplanet.com .

IV. Summary & Bottom Line

Yes, Editor of TTT knows that American society has changed a lot from the 1940’s, 1950s and mid-1960’s – and most of that change has been for the worse. Sadly, there are a lot more criminals, thugs, and nasty characters out there on the streets of America than there were back then. But the answer to this problem is definitely NOT SWAT teams that trample all over the Fourth Amendment with their jack boots – not to mention killing, maiming, and terrorizing many American citizens far too many of whom become innocent victims of a military assault on their home!

SWAT teams are NOT performing "protect & serve" police-type duties. They are MILITARY-style assault teams whose mission often is to "kill & destroy". We need to go back to the type of arrests made in the 1940s and 1950s where citizens’ lives were NOT recklessly endangered by no-knock, kick-in-the-door, dynamic entries of homes in the wee hours of the morning.

Editor of TTT agrees wholeheartedly with the earlier-listed quote by Mr. Lorentz:

"SWAT teams also get military training and afford the sociopaths who apply the opportunity to pretend they are warriors which they are not. Warriors fight other warriors; cowards and thugs attack civilians. SWAT teams afford the cowardly or unqualified the opportunity to live out their Walter Mitty fantasies of military conquest, glory and heroism; all without having to take significant risks or suffer the personal hardship involved with being a real soldier."”

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Great article eh?

It bears repeating that the sole purpose of these notes is to again ask you to consider the need for a SWAT team in our City and if there is a need – to publicly justify that need with a valid cost benefit study.