The Pentagon gives military weapons even to thug departments that the US government considers likely to violate people's rights. It is a mistake to suppose that the other thug departments won't do this. Hardly any of them should get military weapons.

The existence of a SWAT team impels rules to use it frequently, and that use puts people's lives in danger. The US needs 20 SWAT teams in cities distributed around the country; more than that is an avoidable risk.