Law enforcement authority does not operate like the military; therefore, they don’t need a military solution to take out a couple of thugs, even if said thugs are armed with fully-automatics and bullet retardant vest. LEOs do not need a military weapon that was originally designed for the Army as a form of indirect artillery and is now used as a primary means of suppression. LEOs need the best personnel body armor that tax payers can buy, and they need only the following (lethal) weapons: a pistol, shotgun, and high-powered rifle.

Let the thugs stand out in the middle of the street firing their Kalashnikovs while donning their so called “bullet proof vest”, and officer with a .30-06 sniper rile can take them out with one clean shot apiece. The Para-military approach may show bravado, but it recklessly endangers not only officers’ lives but the civilian’s as well due to all of the “spraying and praying.”

Originally Posted by ravensword227

Law enforcement authority does not operate like the military; therefore, they don’t need a military solution to take out a couple of thugs, even if said thugs are armed with fully-automatics and bullet retardant vest. LEOs do not need a military weapon that was originally designed for the Army as a form of indirect artillery and is now used as a primary means of suppression. LEOs need the best personnel body armor that tax payers can buy, and they need only the following (lethal) weapons: a pistol, shotgun, and high-powered rifle.

Let the thugs stand out in the middle of the street firing their Kalashnikovs while donning their so called “bullet proof vest”, and officer with a .30-06 sniper rile can take them out with one clean shot apiece. The Para-military approach may show bravado, but it recklessly endangers not only officers’ lives but the civilian’s as well due to all of the “spraying and praying.”

Okay lets break this down. Exactly what weapon are the LEO's using as "indirect artillery". The only weapon my Dept. has that even remotely resembles that is our 37mm launchers for OC, CS, or rubber buck deployment.
"Spray and Pray". All of our Deputies are taught controlled fire; center mass double tap. Use of cover and concealment and the legal issues of an innocent bystander catching a stray round.Our SRT Deputies are required to qualifiy monthly at a higher standard with their weapons.
The deployment of a sniper to "take out" suspects with one "clean" shot depends on many things. And I suggest you try aquiring a target and getting a clean shot off while rounds are coming down range.
"Bravado" Nothing of the sort. As I've stated there are reasons LEA's are Para-Military. Unit cohesion is just as important for them as it is for the military.

Originally Posted by 03USMC

Exactly what weapon are the LEO's using as "indirect artillery".

SWAT teams in LA have access to an assortment of light machineguns. The light machineguns that were first developed (during WWI) had a battle sight that goes all up to and excess of 1000 yards. In modern times, light machineguns such as the M60E3, FN M240, and M249 SAW are used for area effect and suppression fire. They are not exactly pin-point accurate to say the least. The SWAT in LA also has German WW2 MG42s in their inventory. This rifle is infamous for it’s ridiculously fast cycle rate, so it is completely obtuse for law enforcement to use in most all circumstances

Originally Posted by 03USMC

The deployment of a sniper to "take out" suspects with one "clean" shot depends on many things. And I suggest you try aquiring a target and getting a clean shot off while rounds are coming down range.
"Bravado" Nothing of the sort. As I've stated there are reasons LEA's are Para-Military. Unit cohesion is just as important for them as it is for the military.

I am not one of those people that expects you to shoot the gun out of a suspect's hand or anything stupid like that. I also understand that the only way to safely incapacitate a violent and crazy thug is to outright kill him. I am just trying to say that you don’t have to get right up on a machinegun + body armor wielding maniac, and you don’t have to exchange lead in a big shootout. A scoped rifle, either bolt action or auto loading that is chambered in a .308 or better will do just fine. The best personnel armor in the world (IBA) cannot reliably stop regular 7.62x51 Ball under 100 yards. One shot to the spine and he is going to fall right where he stands, or for psychological effects, shoot him in the head.

Don’t send in LEO’s with machineguns that crash the scene and just scream “I am the law;” send an undercover cop who will do the job from afar. The assailants will never see it coming if you aren’t obvious.

The feces would really have to hit the oscillating wind machine extremely hard for any LEA to deploy crew served weapons. Especially in a surpressive fire mode that you are eluding too. By the by I am aware of the military uses of crew served weapons.
I feel that you are eluding to the North Hollywood shootout when you refer to "Thugs in body armor wielding automatic weapons." That particular incident was compounded by the fact that the first officers on scene were patrol division armed with Berretta 92 9mm service weapons and Itchaca model 37 shotguns. They received such a high volume of fire even if they had bolt guns their chances of making the shot range from bad to poor. They still would have had to wait for additional units to arrive before being able to engage with a marksman.
"LEO'S armed with Machine guns crashing in"
Are you eluding to a dynamic entry pursuant to the service of a warrant? Or a hostage rescue? In either case there are reasons why dynamic entries are used in warrant service. In hostage rescue it is a last resort and there a marksman would be the preferred tool.
There are many real issues that you are ignoring while decrying the use of Special Reponse Teams. Perimeter security, officer safety, public safety, etc. The lone sniper/undercover officer while it may look good on paper while your spitballing how to rein in the bad pooleeces is not used for those reasons.