the common narrative:
Visible signs of crime, anti-social behavior, and civil disorder create an urban environment that encourages further crime and disorder, including serious crimes. Police equipment and policing tactics are there to protect the officers and the public from crime.

the counter narrative:
police equipment and policing tactics facilitates the use of force and the feeling of being above the law.
Not only this increases the amount of police brutality cases but also escalates the civilian's reaction.

''We've seen how militarized gear can sometimes give people a feeling like there's an occupying force, as opposed to a force that's part of the community that's protecting them and serving them.'' - Barack Obama (video at 4:40)

Arthur Rizer
Director of criminal justice and civil liberties policy, R street justice - also former military police officer and former civilian police officer

''I asked officers, do you have any problem with police officers routinely on patrol carrying military-grade equipment or dressing in military type of uniforms?"

''Do you think it changes the way that officers feel about themselves and their role in policing?"

MORE AGGRESIVE
MORE ASSERTIVE
MORE VIOLENT

''How do you think the public preceives you?"

"They know that it scares the public, but they don't seem to care."

"A police officer is supposed to be part of "us", but when police think of themselves as soldiers, that can change."

"What is a police officer going to do with an assault rifle when he's facing a protest? When you give someone a hammer, why are you surprised that everything looks like a nail to them?"

France

China

The Netherlands

Colombia

Belgium

The United States