[gist]

Two reasons perhaps. Publicity and safety of the officers. How do they know how this person is going to react (or anyone else in the house)? And the publicity is much greater with a greater show of force (hence a deterrent) as well with a shock and awe response.

[basseq]

> How do they know how this person is going to react (or anyone else in the house)?

This is always true. By that logic, we should SWAT every warrant, every traffic stop, every parade. There should always be a threat assessment.

This would imply it's all #2 ("publicity"). Which means police forces and public defenders are using the threat of extreme violence as... a PR move? Against American citizens who are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law?

[zbobet2012]

Research on the subject says this is more dangerous for the cops then the calmer approaches.

The irony is cops do this to protect themselves, and statistically speaking it has the exact opposite effect.

[dragonwriter]

If the research says that then either:

(1) The law enforcement decision makers are unaware of the research (which is unlikely), or

(2) The stated motivation is not the actual motivation.

[PKop]

Or (3) they don't believe the research and trust their "instincts", right or wrong.

[sheepleherd]

Or (4) they do believe the research, and they use it in their calculation that says that while they should err on the side of caution and should overdo force "a little bit" just in case, that they should be careful not go too far...

... which turns out to be the same calculation they used all along.

[geggam]

but they have cool toys and can pretend they are actual badasses when they raid your home and shoot your dog.. .even tho many of them cant qualify to get in the military ( too fat )

[ivl]

It makes it harder to feel much pity when things go 'wrong' for them, then.

[pipermerriam]

Can you provide a link to said research?

[Zombieball]

I think you are right about the publicity and show of force. I can't imagine it takes more than a couple police officers to arrest a single suspect in a house in a safe manner.

[wavefunction]

Pretty sure you could send two officers to the door.

Knock.

Depending on the response from the inhabitant, either take them into custody or call for backup.

[dragonwriter]

> How do they know how this person is going to react (or anyone else in the house)?

Well, you could do some basic investigation before an arrest, which would both give you in most cases a good idea of the threat profile and often give you a better idea if the information you've been fed actually accurately represents the facts.

Its not "investigation" is, you know, right there in the name of the agency, or anything.