>In many cases, the hardware being discussed (tracked vehicles? okay, I guess they're good in mud?) have nothing to do with offensive capabilities, and are quite often defensive. (Armored vehicles).

The problem, in my eyes, is that they want to appear as a military. They dress like soldiers, and now they have soldiers equipment. This reenforces the perverse wanna-be soldier attitude so many cops have now. It tells them that that mindset is ok, and projects it to the communities they're supposed to be serving.

Beyond that, maybe giving them more an more defensive capabilities is a bad idea because it allows them to be comfortable as they continue to escalate tension with, and levels of force against, the communities they operate in. Perhaps things would operate a little better if both sides had a healthy respect for each other, instead of one siding being armed to the teeth and knowing they can just continue to use force until they've won. Police need to remember that they're servants, not hired guns.