I've been browsing threads on THR with fascination as to the average skillsets of the typical criminal and that very rare few. Preacherman's input was especially enlightening. It occured to me that some of the 1% who know their tools and tactics might be among us, even on THR. Maybe even top posters? They wouldn't be dumb enough to use their aquired skills (probably from no-background-check Suarez) against cops and they'd immediately know not to mess with civilians (possible CCWers) but what about an organized set of guys preying on gangbangers and other crooks that they know won't run to the police, using squad tactics and no-knock warrant impersonations? That sort of knowledge and training would only be appropriate for really unique operations. We might never know their existence.. and none of their normal life friends might either.
Uh. Pretending to be cops and committing executions? Uhm... Dude, in the past, I've read and agreed with more than a few of your posts. This is not one of them. Considering how far the US is on the way to becoming a police state (warrantless taps, torture policies, administrative search and seizure, violating the War Crimes Act, etc etc), you want civilians to use even WORSE methods of dealing with at best, minor scum?
Hypothetically, if someone was stupid enough to start doing so, two things would happen. More cops would get killed because they would assumed to be rogue, and political dissents would be executed in very similiar to your tactics so their deaths could be laid on such death squads.
That's the reason I didn't post this on THR (among others), because I think this subforum is small enough that no prying eyes will be showing up. What don't you want a criminal to know, whether it's tactics or general knowledge or a trick, and why should it be kept enough of a secret that I would have to use lies (I want to make an independant film about a SWAT raid and some authentic training would help my acting..) or the simple appeal that always works (can you tell me how X would really, truly work? see, I want to be 100% authentic in my upcoming book/tv script/screenplay and you guys sure do like seeing things done accurate... I know seeing glocks clicking when pointed at someone makes you guys wince..) to find out?
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Uhm. Seriously... Reread what you just wrote.
On a serious note: there've been many occurances of gangbangers joining the Army or Marines, and bringing what they were taught about tactics while in back to the 'hood. Why couldn't they learn some things here?
Not all criminals are stupid. Just the majority. If I was up the food chain in the drug trade, I'd pay some folks to join the military, do a couple years, and then come back into private employ. I wouldn't be surprised if it happened fairly often. Heck, SF has a brain drain problem these days. Some personnel are getting very large offers from the private sector. I sincerely doubt all said private sector companies are 'clean'.
I'm a bit paranoid but for the most part I trust posters on this and other sites. Its the thousands of people that lurk that I worry about.
Heh, Batman Begins was an ok movie, but one line stood out in my mind. "I'm your worse nightmare! - No, you're not even practice." (paraphrased)
I mean, seriously, sure most posters here are fairly normal people. Then again, SOME posters live in homes that have a higher weapons concentration than Iraq.