"[...] Traditionally, the role of civilian police has been to maintain the peace and safety of the community while upholding the civil liberties of residents in their respective jurisdiction. In stark contrast, the military soldier is an agent of war, trained to kill the enemy.
"Clearly, the mission of the police officer is incompatible with that of a soldier, so why is it that local police departments are looking more and more like paramilitary units in a combat zone? [...]"
-- Rania Khalek, "Why Do the Police Have Tanks? The Strange and Dangerous Militarization of the US Police Force", 2011-07-05, Alternet