An Ontario Provincial Police tactical officer looks on from the top hatch of an armoured vehicle during protests against COVID-19 restrictions at the Ambassador Bridge on Feb. 12, 2022.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Canada’s police services are becoming increasingly militarized. This undermines the fundamental aims of policing and fosters public distrust of police.
When local law enforcement agencies get military surplus equipment, like armored vehicles, local sheriffs are more likely to get reelected.
AP Photo/David Goldman
Sheriffs in less populated counties got bigger boosts from military surplus than sheriffs in more populated counties.
Protesters march on June 6, 2020, in New York. Demonstrations continue across the United States in protest of racism and police brutality, sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.
(AP Photo/Ragan Clark)
Research on excessive use of force by police and the sociological context and psychological characteristics of killer cops point to useful policy measures.