Keep Them Local & Independent

One of the hallmarks of a free society is local law enforcement. The 1828 Webster Dictionary defines a police officer as "an officer entrusted with the execution of the laws of a city." This clearly indicates the officer is responsible to the city. Today's sheriffs are accountable to the local voters who elected them, and police chiefs are accountable to those locally elected officials who appointed the chiefs.

When law enforcement agencies become entangled with the federal government (through grants, funding or other programs), this accountability shifts.

Militarization of Police

The federal government has a long history of creating entangling alliances with local law enforcement to gain more control over them. In fact, throughout world history national or federal police have been used to carry out the tyrannical dictates of oppressive rulers.

In recent years, local law enforcement has become much more militarized. The federal government uses the war on terror and the war on drugs as excuses to unconstitutionally equip local law enforcement with gear, training, and grants. No doubt you’ve noticed officers with tactical gear, weapons, and military-grade vehicles. Yesteryear’s hometown cop is quickly becoming replaced with today’s military soldier.

There are seven steps that must occur to flip local police to a nationalized force.

Take Back Control, We Need Your Help

In 1963, we started the “Support Your Local Police and Keep Them Independent” project partly based on a plot against police as uncovered by the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee in 1961. We urged members to create ad hoc SYLP committees to pull together members and supportive non-members to protect local police and the communities they serve. That plot included using crowd manipulation, “spontaneous” riot creation, and false “police brutality” campaigns.

Sound familiar?

Please consider joining or forming an SYLP committee today. Here are helpful resources to learn more, including the SYLP committee manual and the committee formation manual. Help to keep your local police independent by forming a committee today!