military equipment is only necessary in a situation of war; The role of the police is not to wage war against the citizens of the United States, it is to protect them. Having the police militarized in any way fundamentally incentivizes the creation of an Us vs. Them mentality in the infraculture of the police, which is subsequently protected in their bureaucratic structure, making this a systemic issue. This is the root of police brutality in the United States, not necessarily the arms the police are afforded by the government, although these are an issue, but the culture of opposition to civilians that results from the appearance and procedure of a military organization.