Following recent events surrounding national domestic surveillance and police use of power, some are questioning if the United States is becoming a "police state."
It is important to understand the basic characteristics of police states in order for individuals to make decisions about such allegations.
Urgent: Should All Police Officers Have to Wear Body Cameras?
Here are five quotes on the characteristics of a police state:
1. "A police state is 'characterized by bureaucracy, secrecy, perpetual wars, a nation of suspects, militarization, surveillance, widespread police presence, and a citizenry with little resource against police actions.'"
– John W. Whitehead in his book, "Battlefield America: The War on the American People," on the Rutherford Institute website.
2. "A police state exists where (1) the state imposes its comprehensive vision of economic welfare and correct behavior upon the citizens, (2) the police apparatus serves the state (instead of serving the citizens), (3) the police apparatus takes upon itself to actively enforce the will of the state [rather than respond to criminal misdeeds], and the citizens serve the state and the police apparatus because of pervasive fear of punishment”
– Attorney Richard W. Stevens, referenced in "The State Vs. The People, The Rise of the American Police State."
Vote Now: Does Media Coverage Make Police Officers' Jobs More Dangerous?
3. "War is considered a precursor of a police state since the population is dependent on the police and their government for safety."
– The Daily Bell.
4. “Militarization of policing encourages officers to adopt a ‘warrior’ mentality and think of the people they are supposed to serve as enemies.”
– The American Civil Liberties Union in its 2014 "War Comes Home" report.
5. “When you have heavily armed police officers using flash-bang grenades and armored personnel carriers, innocent people are bound to be hurt.”
– Alex Kane in a Bill Moyers Perspectives article.
Tell Us: Does Racism Play a Role in Police Officers' Actions?
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.