Police use of force threatens democracy: Your Say

The use of two dozen police officers and an armored vehicle to seize property from an elderly couple in Wisconsin has rekindled the debate over the militarization of police forces across the country. Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

The equipment used in this case and in other cases of police militarization is overkill. This equipment should be confiscated from every police department by the U.S. government and put to use where it is needed.

— Fred Clemens

People get upset about the use of police force but say little when cops are gunned down or seriously injured during routine traffic stops. If the motorist is not killed during the altercation, many of them say they attacked the cop because they were afraid. I find that hard to believe. Reporting about these incidents is often relegated to the back pages.

— Bruce Van Deuson

In the case of the elderly man in Wisconsin, his age didn't stop him from instigating fights that had to be broken up by officers. He also, according to the story, decided to bring guns to town meetings. It sounds like he was a pretty mean guy.

— Leslie Morgan

I think it's pathetic to defend this worthless misuse of deadly force. Seizing this man's property could have been handled by one officer.

This abuse of power is the reason we are going to be doomed as a democracy in short order.

— Evan Rees

People work their entire lives, pay taxes, and this is how government treats them? Militarization of our police forces is happening all too often, and it needs to stop.

— Camille Olive