Countries Where Police Have the Most Firepower

The American Civil Liberties Union has for years highlighted the militarization of U.S. police departments. The organization has denounced federal programs that, for decades, have channeled surplus military equipment to the nation’s law enforcement agencies. Police are now armed with such equipment and firearms that are “often far beyond what is necessary for their jobs as protectors of their communities,” the ACLU notes.

The practice dates back to the defense bill of 1991 that has since transferred $7.6 billion worth of surplus military equipment to more than 8,000 local law enforcement agencies, according to the Department of Defense. (Here is how the size of each states police force changed in the last year.)

These facts beg many questions, including how the United States compares to other countries when it comes to law enforcement firepower.

Based on 2017 estimates, the latest available, the U.S. has 1.6 firearms for every sworn officer of the law, above the global average of 1.2 but lower than dozens of countries with the world’s most heavily armed law enforcement agencies.

The 30 countries with the most police firepower range from peaceful democracies like Switzerland, which has 1.9 firearms per officer, to conflict-ravaged Chad, with 3.6 firearms per officer.  

To find the 30 countries where police have the most firepower, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from Small Arms Survey, an international firearms-monitoring organization. We ranked all counties covered by the Small Arms Survey with populations of at least 1 million by the estimated number of police firearms per sworn police officer in 2017, the most recently available year of police firearm data. Population-adjusted police officer figures were calculated using 2021 population data from the World Bank. 

Nine of the 30 countries with the most police firepower are located in Eastern Europe, and all but Chad are located in Europe. Law enforcement agencies in Belgium and Estonia are the most highly armed in Europe, while Albania, Macedonia, and Northern Ireland also rank high in police firepower. (This is the richest country in the world.)

In terms of number of police officers, Belarus, Russia, Romania, and Kosovo lead the way with more than six officers for every 1,000 residents. Out of the countries on this list, Hungary and Chad have the fewest number of officers at less than one for every 1,000 residents.

Here are the countries with the most police firepower.

Sponsored: Tips for Investing

A financial advisor can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. If you’re an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit.

Source: Read Full Article