Militarization of police
Concerns have been raised about the militarization of police. Both liberal and conservative groups, such as the Cato Institute and American Civil Liberties Union, have criticized this practice. The Fraternal Order of Police argue that it increases officer safety and protect the public, but studies have shown that militarized police units are more likely to have violent encounters with the public, they are more frequently deployed to communities with large African American population, no matter the local crime rate.