History & More Information
A police officer is defined by the 1828 Webster Dictionary as "an officer entrusted with the execution of laws of a city." This definition clearly explains to whom an officer is responsible – the city. Law enforcement officers are elected by local officials, who are elected by the people. This means police are held accountable by you.
When law enforcement agencies become entangled with the Federal government – through grants, funding or other "programs" – this accountability shifts to the federal government.
ACLU & Antifa
In 2015, President Obama created the “Task Force on 21st Century Policing” to “provide technical assistance and incentive funding to jurisdictions in return for receiving federal funds.” In simpler terms, law enforcement agencies would receive funding for gear and training as long as they answered to the federal government. Departments across the nation accepted this offer, outfitting their officers with tactical gear, weapons, and military-grade vehicles. According to a February 2020 article in The Annals journal, 39% of police departments had changed certain practices in response to the task force by 2017.
The end of Obama’s presidency did not end the federal government’s efforts to turn our local police into federal police. Even today, yesteryear’s hometown cop is being swapped for today’s big city soldier. Lawsuits against local departments by left-wing groups like the ACLU and rioting staged by Antifa and BLM all encourage the federal government to strengthen its grip over local police.
Once the federal government has control of the police, they can easily assume control of the people. This is how Hitler gained control of the German people during the Third Reich, and it is the path the U.S. is headed down if we don’t stop it. Locally-controlled police are critical to a free society and we must fight to keep them local!
Starting or Join a Committee
The only way to prevent the nationalization of our police is to educate both officers and the public. The John Birch Society has been doing this since 1963 with their “Support Your Local Police” Campaign. You can help our efforts by starting or joining an SYLP committee. Through these committees, our members meet with their local officers, address city council members, hold video showings, phone legislators, distribute literature, and much more. The SYLP campaign has played a vital role in combating federal programs over the years.
Consider starting or joining a committee today. If you would like to learn more about this important issue, purchase the SYLP booklet, TNA Special issue, or the book The War on Cops at ShopJBS.org. Every little thing you do makes a big difference in preserving our independence. Local police are a hallmark of a free society, and they need your help to understand the importance of staying independent!