OFF THE WIRE
Greetings,
Have you been wondering why the police forces of major cities have been
seemingly militarized? Well, maybe I can shed some light on that question. Back
in the last decade, the Army partnered up with police forces of major cities
around the USA to offer “potential placement” of trained candidates that
completed Basic training and Advanced training. The job was never guaranteed
that I know of, but it explains some of why so many police agencies have
established a military footing since it was offered to everyone I talked to
about it while in the service. And we’re talking hundreds!
When I joined the Army in 2004, I was offered a job with the Baltimore County
Police Department as an incentive to join the military. The program is called
“the Partnership for Youth Success program” OR “P.A.Y.S.” for short, and even
though I was 24 at the time and hardly a “youth,” I was none the less offered
this incentive. I remember distinctly the conversation I had with the recruiter
because I did not want to be a cop, let alone in the worst part of Baltimore.
Besides, I didn’t live anywhere near there! I asked him for a different job and
he responded that police departments were the only ones offering jobs through
that program, and it was up to me if I wanted it or not. As someone that was the
subject of numerous abuses at the hands of the police, I discussed and declined
the offer.
Moving forward to today, that offer to join the police through the PAYS
program still haunts me since there seems to be an obvious militarization of
police, over-use of swat raids, and other rampant abuses like treating Americans
as Insurgents for merely having the want of a non-biased witness called a video
camera. There’s nothing like getting your head kicked in for recording someone
to really wake you up! I again turn your attention again to the PAYS program and
it’s obvious stacking of the major metropolises’ police departments with wartime
soldiers. I believe this program to be at least part of the problem here. It’s
troubling to hear retired and old timer cops talking about how they’re
concerned, as I am, about the level of abuses going on by police today. If you
are too, then please do your own research and ask questions, because you need to
look into this.
Below are some links, but first, remember there are several differences in
the program now that didn’t apply when I was offered it, and I looked over my
contract. Police jobs were the only thing offered to me and several others I
talked to, and now the program has expanded to tech jobs.
Links:
Sample contract for the PAYS program (Note that when I joined, a
college education was not a requirement): https://www.armypays.com/PDF/MOA.pdf
Pays
program “partners” (Note how ALL of the police departments in this list are hot
beds for questionable behaviors):
https://www.armypays.com/PDF/corplogosPartnersPrint.pdf
A
link to the Houston Police Department PAYS program:
http://www.houstontx.gov/police/pdfs/ARMY_PaYS_08042010.pdf
This post was shared by an individual who prefers to remain anonymous via
CopBlock.org’s submit page.
