No More Wacos: What's Wrong With Federal Law Enforcement and How to Fix It

Rating:
Summary: De-militarize and De-federalize law enforcement!
Review: A very impressive accomplishment. There is a tremendous amount of detail here -- right down to how the ATF's name evolved from BATF -- but presented in a compelling and readable way.

This book is unusual in that it does not slant everything in one direction; it refuses to classify those involved as unambiguous good guys or bad guys.

The scope of the book goes beyond what's implied by the title. There is plenty of fascinating history here, many references to other law enforcement debacles. A compelling case is made that law enforcement has become too militarized and too federalized. The discussion of how "groupthink" on both sides (the government and the Davidians) leads to this kind of tragedy is especially excellent.

I've long wondered why liberals and conservatives seem inverted on Waco. Liberals are thought to be strong on civil rights, including religious freedom, and anti-military. Conservatives are thought to favor strong law-and-order. The authors explain this puzzle: the Congressional hearings quickly degenerated into an attempt to embarrass political opponents rather than a dispassionate search for the truth. The American public and the media took their orientation from Congress to a large extent. If a Republican had been president at the time of Waco, it's very possible the sides would have been reversed.

The authors show very clearly that the real problems with law enforcement have been building regardless of which party controls the White House or the Congress. I hope some legislators read this book and take the excellent reform suggestions to heart.

Rating:
Summary: Waco, the end of innocence in America.
Review: I'm a former police detective from a high crime area. I'd always felt that Waco was a federal law enforcement screw-up of unprecedented proportions and that almost any competent local police agency could have, and would have, handled the situation without ANY loss of life. I still feel that way.

The problem was that I didn't understand the extent of the federal corruption involved. By the time I'd read a quarter of this book I was literally sick, since by then it was clear that the "America" I'd loved and defended for years on the mean streets of S. Florida was dead. As dead as the dreams of the children gased (and probably murdered) by "our" government at Waco.

The fictional government lies and cover-ups in "Wag the Dog" were but a pale imitation of the reality of Waco. The ATF has had a well deserved bad rep with local police for years. Read this exceptionally well documented book and you will understand why.

Will you be able to sleep well afterwards? Probably not.

Will you ever be able to trust "our" Government again? Never!

Rating:
Summary: Investigative writing at it's best!
Review: Kopel and Blackman did more than just their homework on this book. It is perhaps the most factual yet interesting critique on the way in which federal law enforcement operates today. The attack on Mt. Carmel is a very important even in the history of this nation and only from our mistakes can we change the future. This review I believe is especially credible since I read but certainly don't always like David Kopel's writings. Highest recommendation and a great source for research papers.

Rating:
Summary: Investigative writing at it's best!
Review: Once again David Kopel (and Paul Blackman) gets to the bottom of things and shows what the Waco disaster was all about. If you only read one section of this book, read the part detailing the search warrant. It appears that all the death and destruction (on the part of both the Branch Davidians and the BATF agents who were killed) was brought on because of a failure to pay a several hundred dollar tax on a firearm.

This book focuses on Waco but also delves into the expansion of federal law enforcement and the effect it has on civil liberties in this country.

As per the United States Constitution, the federal government should have law enforcement jurisdiction over the following acts: piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, offences against the law of nations, and counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States.

Something has gone terribly wrong.

Read this book. Then read anything else that David Kopel has written. It will be well worth your time, and you will be well educated about the erosion of our rights as citizens.

Rating:
Summary: A valuable analysis and reference for future reforms.
Review: This work is not only an outstanding explanation of the Waco and Ruby Ridge incidents, but a critical review of modern federal law enforcement. The book goes beyond sorting out -- in meticulous detail -- what really happened in these debacles. Even more valuable is the objective analysis of the abuses and excesses of federal law enforcement, along with suggested remedies.

This book is a "must read" for anyone concerned with civil liberties or law enforcement.