New York City Police Commissioner Claims the NYPD Could Take Down an Airplane

Story here. Basically, the NY Police Commissioner is touting the capabilities of the NYPD's counter-terrorism capabilities, which includes the ability to take down an airplane (although we are assured that they would never take down a jet-liner, wink-wink). The story states that this is with rifles shooting .50 BMG, that can be mounted in and shot by someone in a helicopter. Somewhat downplayed in the article is that the NYPD has "intelligence agents" stationed in foreign cities. The reason for all of this--the NYPD does not trust the federal government to provide for the City's defense.

There are so many problems with this, it is hard to begin. First, there is the whole "militarization of the police" evidenced here. Rifles shooting the .50 BMG serve two purposes: in the hands of civilians, they are used for long-distance target shooting; in the hands of the military, they are intended to be used as "anti-material" rifles--i.e., tools to destroy equipment and lightly armored vehicles. I can guarantee that the police won't be using it for target shooting. Which poses the question of why a civilian law enforcement agency for a municipal corporation feels it needs to be able to destroy a lightly armored vehicle. Police are "law enforcement" agencies, not military forces. Let's not lose that distinction.

Second, I understand that a police force might want to stop a car or a boat, but a plane? That brings a whole different complexity into the equation, such as what happens when the plane suddenly loses air velocity and, consequently, lift, over the City. Or does the NYPD intend to exercise this capability outside of its jurisdiction?

Third, what absolute HUBRIS to place its officers overseas to gather intelligence. The NYPD has no jurisdiction overseas. Its officers are not protected by diplomatic immunity. They do not represent the United States. Surely, if Arizona cannot enforce immigration within its own borders because it usurps the federal government's authority over immigration, the NYPD should not be able to usurp the federal government's exclusive authority over national defense.

The basic problem here is that New York City thinks it is a city-state, rather than merely a city.