ABSTRACT
The police role in society has been described in several ways, including serving and protecting society. There is also a contemporary assumption that the police and community work together to deal with crimes and other social problems. It is argued, however, that the primary role of the police is to overcome resistance, and a militarized police force contributes to this role. This image is contrary to a service or community policing approach. Unfortunately, there is no uniform conception of police militarization and its relationship to policing. This chapter discusses precisely the function of the military, and how contemporary American policing resembles and relates to the military. It is then argued that “appearances”—the police look like the military—is one of the primary justifications for suggesting that policing is militarized. Various aspects of modern policing, including police weapons and the deployment of tactical units, are examined as to their impact for seeing the police as being militarized.
