The 1960s saw the emergence of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams. Former Los Angeles Police chief Daryl Gates first established a SWAT team in response to the Watts riots in LA two years prior, which had caused 34 deaths and $40 million in damage. In order to combat urban unrest, violence, and riots, SWAT team members were specially trained and were given military-grade weapons (Balko). However, following the creation of the 1033 Program by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997, regular police officers began to receive surplus Department of Defense military equipment. Civilian police departments received tanks, assault rifles, and grenade launchers. Indeed, it is troubling to see a tank rolling down the street in
