It cannot be denied that the police are becoming more militarised - not just in the United States but here in Britain. Yet this focus on hardware presents the cops and the military as separate entities. In reality, they are built from the same foundations.
In this episode we speak with academic and activist Chris Rossdale about the colonial history of the police, how the military is overwhelmingly used in policing roles and why we should see the two institutions as part of the same apparatus of oppression.
Part of the discussion centres around the chapter Chris wrote for the book Abolishing the Police. To get a copy, head over to the Dog Section press website now!
You can also read Chris' article on the Black Panther Party approach to militarism, co-authored with Nivi Manchanda, in the journal Security Dialogue.
And to learn more about Adam Elliot-Cooper's book Black Resistance to British Policing, check out this excellent review on Abolitionist Futures.
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Music by Esion Noise.