Police in the Guard.

Damien435

Active member
In my experiences I have seen that a sizable percentage of police officers are also in the National Guard. I do not have any exact details as this is based entirely on my observations. I remember this being an issue in the news right after 9/11. At the time in my home city (population of 127,000, area population of 198,000) all but nine police officers were in the National Guard, most of whom were placed on alert (but thankfully never called up) to active duty. Police are typically in better shape than people give them credit for and really make ideal reservists as they train quite often and are familiar with a variety of weapons. But what about the people of the city if/when they get called up? It is critical in war time to maintain law and order at home. If the reserves are called up I feel that America will find that it is dangerously short on police officers to protect the people from themselves. I feel that easily 40% of America's police officers are in the National Guard (Or Naval/Marine reserves) and if they are called up America's ability to bring the fight to the enemy would be hampered by our inability to rule ourselves. How do people here feel about police officers in some sort of military reserve unit? Should there maybe be some sort of restrictions or perhaps police officers who join a reserve unit are put into units together as a last resort unit to be called upon? Not that I am doubting the abilities of police officers to serve but they are very important to their communities. (This question not limited to American's, I would like to know any similarities/differences between America and other countries.)
 
No I think an LEO should be able to serve if he so desires. I think a Dept. that has 40% of it's Officers in a Guard or Reserve unit is pretty rare at least around here.
 
An intresting angle on this is that Police Officers here still do reserve service every year for 2 weeks. So i guss it can work.
 
Law Enforcement and Military have always had a close relationship and most prior military choose that career field, i'm a Admin of Justice Major and alot of my peers are prior military except for me i want to go join but haven't yet, got some legal stuff to take care of first :cen: but anyways i know alot of people that are LEO and are in the Guard/Reserves.....it shouldn't be much of a issue to be both LEO and serving, it can work
 
LEOs are very much a part of the Guard here as are fireman and EMTs. The impact of so many of them being activated has indeed hit us hard here in Vermont, but we're a small state and had little to spread around to begin with.
 
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