I did not think anyone was. My intended tone was gentle and well-meaning, and I was responding to Mr. Reinhardt who, I felt, was being a butt-head.

This is, IMHO, a pretty decent place to discuss, and a wide range of commenters with a wide range of knowledge and experience make it an informative discussion. Sometimes people get a little out of line (Murdoc included) but by and large it’s relatively flame-free.

As for what’s condoned, I’ve probably deleted about eight comments in six and a half years and banned only one commenter (not counting a few who just copied and spammed the same rant/comment on tons of posts). So obviously I’m not very heavy-handed very often.

I think I can speak for Murdoc and the other “regulars” here when I say:

No one is attacking you.

This is a civil blog where numerous people, who have different ideas and comments, contribute to the subject at hand.

This certainly isn’t a confrontational arena. Hostility isn’t encouraged and for that matter it is rarely encountered. That’s why I enjoy visiting Murdoc on a daily basis.

What is condoned is up to Murdoc.

Yeah. I got sucked in for a second myself. My apologies.

I am still arguing with my SWAT commander to make everyone wear nametapes and sheriff’s ID on our cammies. he thinks it’s a bad idea, I think it’s Constitutionally required. we’re not all jack booted thugs.

This sort of thing bothers me. I’m all for the officers to be able to do what they need to do. I don’t see how wearing clear ID makes their job more difficult. In fact, I think it would help in a lot of cases where no ID could be a hindrance. Say, if a guy in blank BDUs came onto my yard and looked like he was about to enter the house during unrest. I’d likely as not shoot the guy and ask questions later.

A commenter above noted that there was fear that the protesters would mimic the unis, so they vary them. That’s a good point, too.

That would be a difficult. A brief resume aside, your wee screed was a spew of emotion, prejudice, and fat-headed opinion.

I think this thread has turned into a flamming contest and your concise info has helped to bring it back to reality.

I figured it was a tactical snatch and said so in Murdoc’s first post.

As far as “uniforms” and “weapons” go we can all be arm-chair quarterbacks, but the main thing is to put the bad guys out of action rapidly and efficiently.

I think the SWAT team pulled off the snatch perfectly…and,

Another spoiled radical brat who has nothing better to do but destroy property bit the dust!

The team of officers in the video was what we call a “snatch team”, we used this concept at RAF Greenham-Common when I was a 19 year old security specialist back in 1983. We had CNDers at the front gate, and at smaller camps around the 9 1/2 mile fencline. When there was a protest, we went into the crowd, along with the MOD police to grab the crowd agitators and those who were doing the most damage. We’d make a flying wedge, get the principal, let MOD bag them, and retreat back to our lines.

If you watch the video closely, you can see the cammied officers belt holsters under their blouses. You can also see the riot clad officer with a less lethal shotgun set-up (notice the orange tip on the shotgun and the orange foregrip and stock. The snatch team used a car instead of being on foot as it was a field expedient way to remove the agitator from the area and preclude getting the rest of the crowd more riled up. The officers also had ID holders strapped to their left biceps, it is seen in other photos on the web after the perps arrest, in a safe area.

I do not agree with completely sanitized uniforms, it might’ve been detailed in their ROEs and UOF briefing. Our SWAT team wears Multicam, instead of ACU or Woodlands as, 1) It WORKS, and 2) It is not a common military issue item (yet), and we do not want to be mistaken for military.

I am still arguing with my SWAT commander to make everyone wear nametapes and sheriff’s ID on our cammies. he thinks it’s a bad idea, I think it’s Constitutionally required. we’re not all jack booted thugs.

2. We who actually do know a litle, fully realize how little we know.

3. Instead of attacking me, like all those who can not best me by using either logic or facts, why don’t you PROVE I am wrong?

Neil: Thanks for weighing in. It’s always nice to hear from commenters who know it all and call other people lazy and stupid and make statements about bloggers without knowing what they’re talking about.