The Posse Comitatus Act: What Does It Mean to Local Law Enforcement?

Twenty years ago the Posse Comitatus Act (PCA) was a standard topic of discussion only between civilian and military police and their legal advisors. Today the PCA inspires strong debate about national security. Both civilian and military police agencies continue to point to and use the PCA as rationale for and against military support to civilian law enforcement agencies. Legal writers and activists have dissected the law and its history, debating its continued usefulness and constitutional standing.